JxHQ: The Wild Enthusiasm of a Belligerent
by DonnaJossee
Summary: 1920's Gotham where Doctor Harleen Quinzel-Dence and her flawed husband Lewis Dence settle down. But running into an old friend while working at Arkham makes Harleen realize what she'd abandoned years prior. (Based on Jared's Joker & Margots Harley.)
1. Prologue

****THIS STORY DOES NOT TIE INTO MY SERIES AT ALL IT'S A LONG STORY BUT NOT IN THE SERIES****

 ** _Prologue_**

It's two completely different things to be "crazy" than be _crazy_.

"Crazy" defined Gotham, which was blossoming in the roaring '20s attention.

It was incredibly odd to go from a small town on the west coast, to a raging city like Gotham in such a glamorous era.

Expensive cars lined the streets of uptown, while downtown, the business of bootlegged liquor and hidden clubs boomed.

After my late husband, Samuel, died in the First World War, I decided to move closer with to my family. Who all conveniently lived in the same damned city.

I watched as Harold, my Chauffeur pulled up to the mansion on the outskirts of town, on the river.

The second my feet hit the sparkling white gravel, I heard a squeal of excitement.

My head snapped up and I saw Harleen running towards me, her heals not holding her back from sprinting.

"Ana!" She wrapped her arms around me and squeezed me roughly, but I'd missed her so much I gladly accepted it. "What took you so long? I was worried sick." She pulls away and cups my cheeks in her hands. "How's my baby cousin?" She runs her fingers through my auburn hair.

"Fine as wine." I smile back.

"Oh, wonderful." She kisses my cheek. "Me and Lewis were just talking about you." She sighs.

"That explains why my nose was itching the entire ride here," I roll my eyes playfully.

"Oh, hush it now." Her husband, Lewis, appears and pulls me into his strong arms. "I believe the last time I saw you, you were only 17 and thought you knew everything." He teases me.

"I was a newly wedded woman," I shrug. "I did know everything at the time."

"Well I do hope you'll stay out of trouble while you're here, Anastasia." He says sternly yet kiddingly.

"I know how to do absolutely nothing but trouble." I inform him.

"Oh, stop all that nonsense. You're an accountant, now." Harleen smiles softly. "You know how to do damn near everything, now."

"Says the Doctor." I hit her arm as Lewis grabs my bags from the trunk. "How is that degree of yours anyhow?" I raise a brow and she smiles widely again.

"Just fine. Lewis said I wouldn't make it past a week in Arkham, but guess what I'm doing?" She sticks her tongue out at him.

"It's just very odd to see a woman practicing medicine in this day in age, Harleen. It's not that you can't do it, just that many people feel you shouldn't. Especially some of those patients. They're all wild and completely barbaric."

" _They're_ the wild ones?" Her tone snaps sharply, and I can sense a change in her aura. She was hinting at something she hadn't told me.

Lewis's jaw clenches and he looks up at her.

"Not now, Harleen." He mumbles under his breath.

I ignore the little bicker between them and she puts an arm around my shoulders.

"I must introduce you to Katherine," she leads me to the door.

"Who?" I furrow my brows.

"My best friend of course." She shuts the door behind us and I have to catch my breath a moment.

The inside of the house is extravagant and beautiful down to the very last detail.

"This is incredible." I state breathlessly.

"Isn't it?" Lewis pipes.

"Lewis has a bit of a stock problem." She whispers to me. "And a gambling problem." She adds just as quietly and the phone rings and she leaves me side when Lewis answers the phone.

"And a cheating problem." The woman I assume is Katherine mutter to me after she appears, taking a sip of her martini.

She's a beautiful woman like Harleen.

Her hair is cut in a short bob, a sparkling dress falls from her lightly tanned skin as beads and diamonds decorate her neck, wrists, and fingers.

I glance at Harleen to see her and Lewis having a quiet argument in the corner.

How could anyone ever cheat on her? She was young, and absolutely flawless. Her hair was at her breasts in curls. Big, baby blue Iris's adorned her big eyes and full lips always seemed to seamlessly smile at anything and everything. Class hung to every fiber of her being, and pure fire boiled through her.

Any man would die to have a minute to speak to her, but she chose Lewis.

Brutish, built, and sinful in the most awful ways apparently.

I never liked him. He was scary, acting as though he were a friend but constantly proved to not be able to control himself if he got drunk. The man would fight a tree if it swayed the wrong way in the wind. And he was even worse sober, sometimes.

He was 32, Harley was freshly 25. They married when she was 20.

They finished their arguing and Harleen soon met me in the living room.

"Would you like me to show you your room?" She offers.

"Yes, please." I nod.

"Follow me."

My room is magnificent, like the rest of the house. A queen sized bed sits in the middle of the white and floral, windows to the outside on either side of it. A Chest of drawers was by the door and a couple dressers sat my the windows, a closet wasn't far from them. And there was a bathroom connected to the suite.

"I hope you like it." She states and I look at her.

"Oh, Harley, I love it." I reassure her.

"Good," she gives a firm nod.

"So, have you seen any real crazies yet?" I cross my arms and turn to face her.

"Not that many," she admits.

"You need to have patients like Cobblepot and Nigma," I explain and she giggles.

"I see my mother has kept you informed of all the criminals, new and old, in the city?" She digs around in one of the drawers and pulls out a cigarette and lights it, leaving the room to head down stairs and I follow.

"Oh, absolutely." I scoff. "No." I say pointedly. "You need to have patients like The Joker." She chokes suddenly, so startled she drops her cigarette.

"W–What?" She stutters.

"Impossible," Lewis speaks from the bookshelf in the corner of the living room. "The Joker is all a myth. The real man, is dead."

"Oh, nonsense." Katherine says hastily. "You just don't want him to be real because you lack imagination and excitement."

"No. I know he isn't real because there were plenty of papers covering Jack Napier's death in ACE and guess what, Katherine? It's scientifically impossible for someone to survive an accident like that." He spits back.

"Yes, and I'm sure there was once someone who said it was scientifically impossible for a woman to actually have a successful career but your wife is proving them wrong." She rolls her eyes. "Don't base anything off science. Miracles happen." She finishes.

"Not in Gotham." He replies gruffly.

"Let's not fight over this," Harleen tells them.

"I'm sorry for bringing it—"

"—Don't be silly." She shakes her head. "I just haven't heard him being mentioned in a while, is all."

I nod, thinking I understood.

But I didn't. Not entirely. I couldn't shakes the feeling that there was something else she wasn't telling me.

I felt as though she wanted to say "I hadn't heard from him in a while" instead of what she had said.

I furrowed my brows in deep thoughtful as she continued to walk around the living room, reading through some patient files as Katherine lounged on the couch and Lewis looked for another book to read.


	2. Chapter l

**_Chapter l_**

"Oh, Ana, you must come with us tonight. You must."

"Will you stop? The party scene isn't what Anastasia really looks like she'd enjoy anyway." Lewis barks at Harleen.

"We all know it's your scene, don't we, Lewis?" She snaps back. "My cousin isn't going to be with us forever. I at least want her to be able to say she went to a Gotham party."

"What's the difference in a Gotham Party and a regular party?" I ask them curiously.

"A Gotham party is a complete circus that takes up the streets and lasts well into the morning. I doubt it'd be fun for you." Lewis answers before Harley can.

"I'd love to go." I tell him smugly. "Give me 10 minutes to get ready."

Once I'm ready, I rush down the stairs and Harleen meets me.

"You look gorgeous, Ana. Just a diamond in that dress." She hooks her arms through mine. "We're gonna have to find you a bachelor while we're out." She winks.

"Oh, you scandalous, sneaky little mouse." My mouth gapes open and she laughs.

"I plot everything in advance." She admits.

"Just get in the car," Lewis rushes us.

"You're sure in a hurry to get there," Katherine lights a cigarette, getting into the car with us. "Got your mistress saving you a drink?"

"Will you can it, Katherine?! Or do you want to walk there?" He gives her a furious look and she rolls her jaw.

"Of course not," she purposely burns the back of his seat with the end of her cigarette and me and Harleen have to keep from laughing about it.

"Don't forget, Dear, we can't stay out too late. I have work tomorrow." Harleen tells him and he gives her a mean eye in the mirror, making her shrink down in her seat.

"We'll get home when we get home, Harley. Don't rush me. It's a Friday night and I want to have some fun."

"With some other women." Katherine says so quietly I barely hear her, but Lewis doesn't hear her at all. "Anastasia, do you drink?" She turns her attention to me.

"Not very much, no. The last time I had some wine was at my wedding back in '16." I tell her and she nods.

"If you drink tonight, you'll drink the finest liquor and wine you've ever tasted in your life. It's from the most expensive sellers." She takes another drag of her cigarette.

"Not every woman wants to drink her life away like you, Katherine." Lewis shoots and she blows the smoke of her cigarette into the front of the car.

"And not every woman finds you as funny as you think, Lewis." She retorts sharply.

"Do you want to walk there?" He repeats in a harsh tone.

"Oh, please! I'd be morally embarrassed to show up to such an event with you, anyway." She hisses.

"Will you two stop bickering? It's like watching a cat and a dog argue over who sheds more fur." Harleen scolds them both.

"You stay out of it, Harleen." Lewis turns around a quick moment to look at her.

"And why should I? So you can freely chew out my friend over nothing?"

"Chewing out women is what he's best known for, after all." Katherine mumbles and Lewis slams on brakes.

"Get out of my car." He growls.

"Telling a girl to get out of the car is definitely a first for you, isn't it, Lewis?" Katherine throws the door open.

"Oh, Lewis, please. This is nonsense. The party is miles from here."

"Good. Maybe it'll be over by the time she shows up." He scoffs.

"That's it." She rolls her eyes and slides out as well, pulling me with her.

"Harleen, get back into this car right now."

"I'm not going anywhere without Katherine." She crosses her arms.

"Harley, baby, get into the car." He smiles sweetly.

"I refuse." She holds her chin up.

"Don't make me take my belt off and whip you in the middle of the street, Harley. Get. In. The. Car." He sneers.

"We'll find a ride." She snorts back, leading us away from him.

He slams on the gas angrily and speeds off.

"Now, where are we gonna find a ride?" Katherine sighs heavily.

Harleen eyes a phone booth across the street.

"Let me make a phone call."

 **Very** early the next morning, a raging hangover controlled every fiber of my being and I awoke to the sound of Harleen getting ready for work.

Her hair was pulled into a bun and her dress hung loosely on her. She wore no makeup and her face looked tired.

"Are you sick?" She furrows her brows.

"No, I haven't gotten drunk before." I shrug. "It was my first time ever last night."

"Just don't make it a habit, Ana." She says sternly. "I'd hate to have you admitted into Arkham's rehabilitation wing." She walks to the front door and says "goodbye" before leaving for work.

I smiled gently to myself before picking up the paper and glancing over it, and my mouth fell open at the headline on the first page.

 **Phil Williams: Arrested and Sent to Arkham After Employment Under The Joker is Revealed**

I furrowed my brows. I knew that name.

And I remembered the phone call Harleen made last night.

 _"Hello?" She said gently. "Mr. Phil? Hi, this is Harleen Quinzel. I'm an old friend of your boss." She tells him. "Are you busy at the moment? Me and a couple of my friends are headed to that party in town and we're needing a ride." She explains. "Yes, we're almost in town. We're by the river actually, right off the bridge." She looks at us a moment. "Yes, yes. Oh, Thank you, Mr. Williams. It's greatly appreciated. Yes, I'll see you in a bit. Buh-bye." She hangs up and smiles widely. "He'll be here shortly."_

My mind snaps back to reality and I study the article carefully.

 **Harleen** walked into Arkham trying to ignore her aching head in the process.

She'd had way too much to drink last night and as she got closer and closer to her office, she felt as though she were going to vomit.

She hadn't meant for Phil to get arrested on her behalf. The GCPD had gotten him on his way back from dropping her, Katherine and Anastasia off at her house late last night.

If she wouldn't have been so stubborn with Lewis, she wouldn't have even had to call Phil.

He was locked up because of her now, and she felt guilty.

She opened her door to see flowers on her desk and smiled a little, walking towards them.

She read the card attached and sighed softly.

 _I'm sorry for causing such a scene last night. I love you, have a good day, Harley. – Lewis._

She smelled the bouquet carefully and set her stuff on the floor by her desk before sitting down to look over her files for the day.

Her eyes would linger back to the flowers every now and then, a feeling of mixed emotions would fill her.

She remembered when she first met Lewis, her mother was very adamant about them getting married. He was rich and successful—and incredibly handsome.

But she knew she was a fool for marrying him. And loving him still, even after all of his affairs and bad habits.

Things were much simpler before she was 20.

She shuts her mind off, refusing to remember the few years leading up to her turning 20. She couldn't afford to think about _him_. And she wouldn't.

Clearing her throat and placing the flowers by her door, she headed to Arkham's office to tell him she was about to start her first appointment for the day and that she didn't want to be interrupted.

But before she reached his office, she heard two nurses talking back and forth about a particular subject that she couldn't help but listen about.

"I overheard Arkham telling one of his assistants that if The Joker were to step foot in here, he'd shut the place down."

 _Coward_ , Harleen thought as she scoffed, annoyed.

Her blood went cold at the sound of his name, though, and continuing to think of him possibly being captured and sentenced to life in the facility, made her legs go weak almost.

"He won't be caught. He's not even around here anymore." She tells herself aloud and gets to Arkham's office, finally.

"Doctor Arkham?" She knocked on the open door and he looked up.

"Yes, dear?" He raised his brows.

"I have an appointment in a few minutes and I would like you to save anything you need to tell me for after the appointment. I don't want to be interrupted."

"I completely understand." He nodded gently. "I have my own meeting with someone."

"And who might that be?" She crossed her arms.

"Doctor Arkham," a low voice She recognized filled her ears and she turned around and gasped lightly.

"Daniel," Arkham smiled at the middle aged man, extending his hand.

Daniel was The Joker's chauffeur, along with Johnny Frost.

Harleen gulped, knowing good and well he'd recognized her as well.

"Excuse us, Harleen." Arkham motioned for her to leave.

"Oh, yes of course." She nodded in understanding and headed to the door, shutting it shut once she was out.

 **I** couldn't help myself. I felt as though I was solving a mystery. Digging through my own cousins things wasn't something I really needed, but I wanted to know exactly how she knew the Joker.

Nothing was coming out of it, except several match books from a local club and several budgeting notebooks, along with notes on the Stocks.

And that was only her sock drawer.

I walked to her nightstand and started going through each drawer.

Nothing.

An idea hit me suddenly and I rushed to the closet and looked on the shelf.

There was a shoebox without a lid and I reached up and got it, pleased to see it filled to the brim with all kinds of things.

Stray pairs of earrings, old pictures, film for a video, and old letters.

I picked a part the pictures first, seeing Harleen standing and smiling with a handsome man that wasn't Lewis.

She looked no older than 18, and he looked to be at the most 30.

His arm was held around her tightly and his dark hair and light eyes showed in the picture.

Harleen looked incredibly happy.

Every other picture was with or of the same man, and when she got to the letters, she felt almost heartbroken.

 _Dear Harleen,_

 _I'm in my own hell, being forced to serve a country who never gave a damn about me. It's hard to keep my head up, and the only thing keeping me going is the thought of coming home to you._

It continued a couple pages and ended with _Love, Jack._ I'd never heard of a Jack before, but then again, me and Harleen were never that close.

The further into the box I got, the more confused I became. It went from sweet momentums to News Articles on The Joker.

I didn't have the chance to put two and two together properly before I heard Lewis returning home.

I quickly put the stuff back into the box and headed out of their bedroom—planning on keeping my mouth shut about all of it.


	3. Chapter ll

**_Chapter ll_**

 ** _Anastasia_**

I watch as Harley comes in later that night, looking as though she's seen a ghost.

"Dear, you're looking horribly pale. Are you well?" Katherine immediately notices her clammy looking skin and pats her forehead.

"Oh, yes, I'm fine." Harleen nods. "I've just been feeling very odd today, is all." She replies, heading to the stairs.

"Lewis said he'd like for you to join him by the pool when you're done." Katherine tells her next.

"Of course he would," Harleen mumbles. "I get home and I can't catch a break." She tells me. "It's horrifyingly chaotic working at Arkham and then I come home to the biggest monster of them all." She sits on her bed and pulls her heels off. "Can you be a doll and put these in my closet, Ana?" She hands me the expensive shoes and I do as she asked and she gives me a gracious smile. "You're so beautiful. How're you still single, huh?" She raises a brow. "Do tell me your secret. I'd like to get rid of a few men of my own." She half-heartedly jokes and I frown a little bit.

"I don't have a secret of repelling men. It just happens." I shrug.

"There's no way it just happens." She scoffs. "With that elegant, porcelain skin and that beautiful hair—not to mention your perfect body structure."

"I'm just single, Harls." I chuckle.

"I suppose you wouldn't possibly know the answer as to why men are so 'repulsed' by you." She rolls her eyes. "You probably tell them you have a lover in The Bronx who's just as beautiful and soprano as you." She winks.

"Oh, I wish I were attracted to the same sex." I admit. "It'd be much easier to find someone and settle down. Men are way too much to handle."

"Tell me about it." She grumbles. "'My wine isn't rich enough'. 'My steak isn't tender enough'. 'My horse isn't horsey enough'. 'My hair is starting to grey because of stress'." She mocks Lewis. "Not to mention the complete dissatisfaction in the bed." She blurts out and I have to keep myself from choking. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I love Lewis with all my heart. He's my husband, but he doesn't act like it sometimes and I usually lose sight of how our love even first began. At times I feel we got married just to make my mother happy. Not because we really loved one another."

"And does he feel the same?" I boldly ask and she thinks about it a moment before answering.

"He does. In his own way, of course. I'm sure." She says it as if she's trying to convince herself more than me. "I hope." The two words let me know that she honestly has no idea if he feels the same as she does, or if he's just avoiding conflict by disregarding her opinion about anything.

Then my mind drifts back to what I'd found earlier.

Who was Jack? How'd he know my cousin?

"Can I ask you something, Harleen?" I feel myself getting giddy like a child to discover the truth behind it.

I always tried not to be a gossip, but the development of new information and dirt on other people—particularly people I didn't like—made my head spin and my jaw drop in whatever shadow their scandalous endeavors threw about as the words slipped from someone else's mouth.

But I loved Harley, and I wasn't giddy to hear about every detail, I just wanted to simply know. He was an attractive man—of course Lewis was too—but Jack had something that made Harley smile like a complete fool. And Lewis just tended to make her feel like one.

I guess I was excited to know whether or not she was actually happy at one point in some relationship, because I never knew if she ever experienced genuine happiness with Lewis or not.

"Yes?" She stripped herself of her work cloths and put on a light pink silk nightgown and a matching robe.

"Who's Jack?"

The question is immediately regretted the second it comes out of my mouth.

It's none of my business and I shouldn't have let it just blurt out like that.

But she stands, unfazed by anything and everything. She just raises a brow and smiles a little.

"You've been snooping, I see." She teases me.

"I have." I admit. "I'm worried about you."

"Oh, Ana. There's nothing to be worried about. I promise."

"You and Lewis are always—"

"—It's my fault what's happened between me and Lewis. That's what I get for marrying a complete barbarian." She assure me softly. "But if you must know," the tone in her voice implies that she's just going to tell me enough to satisfy me. She's not going into detail . . . and I don't blame her. "Jack Napier was a friend of mine. We were friends for several months before he was shipped off to the war and I never saw him again. I assume he was killed, or found a special someone and decided it was best not to have any girl friends. Which is completely understandable." She points out.

"Do you ever miss him?" Again, I have no idea why the hell I'm asking this question.

"I do." She responds, giving me a tight smile that tells me that she doesn't want to discuss it further.

"Harleen!" Lewis calls up to her and she rolls her eyes before closing them tightly.

"Give me a moment, Ana. Just a moment." She rushes from the room and I furrow my brows, trying to listen to their conversation.

"I'm going out," he tells her. "Heading uptown for some business."

"Business? With who?" She asks and I sigh lowly.

"Just business." He repeats. "I won't be too long, I promise."

And with that, he's gone.

Within seconds it seems, Harleen busting into the room and stripping her cloths again.

"He's going out," she says to herself. "Then you're going out, too."

I ignore her comments, knowing she's not aware she's saying it.

She changes into an extravagant, champagne colored, sparkling, beaded flapper and puts on a little makeup.

"I'm going to the Gotham Royal," she informs me.

I wanted to tell her not to, but I couldn't bring myself to.

I just smiled and nodded, completely unaware of exactly what business she had at the Royal until she came back home later that night.

 ** _Third Person_**

Harleen slowly walked through the lobby of the royal and looked around before heading to the ballroom.

Upbeat Music filled her ears and the air transformed.

Rich liquor and wines were being served around the mass of dancing, laughing, and talking aristocrats.

New money and old money littered the entire ballroom.

But Harleen was looking for a distinct mix of the two.

Someone who wasn't too high maintenance to mingle with the newly rich, but not too ignorant with his money to not appreciate family blood lines that've been in Gotham forever.

And after what felt like hours of looking for him, she finally caught a glimpse of the back of a fine suit, slicked back black hair, and brand new leather shoes.

She smirked, content with her finding, and started over to him.

A frail, slim hand rested on his shoulder and when he turned around, the biggest smile she'd ever seen in a while.

"Is my vision goin' bad, or is that Harley Quinn I see?"

Johnny Frost.

The man was a complete vision in any light you saw him in.

He had dark hair and stood at 6'4, and the fresh age of 34 clung to him like a second skin. His mood went with whatever occasion was taking place. He was a chameleon, he always adjusted. He had muscle and a bruiting side when necessary, but he never fought or caused a scene for the hell of it.

"Johnny!" Harleen beamed up at him in pure joy and threw her arms around his neck.

"Where've you been, you crazy little minx, huh?" He hugged her just as tightly and pulled away to have a good look at her but kept her hands held in his. "God damn, Harleen Quinzel, if you aren't gettin' better lookin' with age."

"Oh, stop it, you're making me blush." She replied happily and he pressed a kiss to each hand.

"It's been what, six years?" He continues to look her over.

"Yes," she nods.

He's about to ask her something else until he feels something cold and large on her hand.

His eyes fall to the rock on her ring finger and his mouth flys open.

"Holy shit, who's the lucky bastard?" It comes from his mouth before he can help himself and she blushes even more because of his racy language.

"Shh," she smiles nervously and looks around them.

"Oh, sorry, doll." He apologizes for his mouth. "I just—wow. I mean, I doesn't surprise me because you're you and no woman as beautiful as you can go that long without being married but . . . wow. Felt like you were a child when I last saw you and now Harleen Quinzel ain't a little girl anymore." He shakes his head slightly.

"I was a child. I was 19 and had everything figured out." She tells him.

"I just can't believe it's been that long." He chuckles. "You got any kids?"

"Oh, no. Lewis doesn't want any." I shake my head.

"Lewis?" He raises his eyebrows. "Sounds like a prick name."

"Lewis Dence." She adds and it makes sense to him.

"You're married to that son of a bitch?" He whispers and she can't help but giggle before confirming it with a nod. "Shit, Harley."

"Five years." She glances around and he widens his eyes.

"Doesn't take you any time to move on." He teases her and she hits him.

Before she can reply, someone's pulling on his sleeve.

"Boss needs you," he tells him and Johnny looks at Harley.

"Excuse me a moment, Harleen." He tells her before slipping off into the crowd.


	4. Chapter lll

**_Chapter lll_**

 ** _Third Person_**

Harleen stood alone in the ballroom once again, a familiar sense of abandonment creeping up on her.

But, instead of paying attention to it, she downed another drink and went on with her business.

That was the last she'd see of Johnny Frost . . .

. . . Until two weeks later.

Arkham was practically flooding with anxiety as doctors and nurses rushed to the most secure wing of the facility.

Someone had turned themselves in, and when Harleen heard about it, she got to the asylum as fast as she could.

Dr. Arkham didn't tell her anything other than someone—who was in critical mental condition—had showed up at the GCPD and had been transferred . . . And that she needed to get to there as soon as possible.

She had her own quick stride down the hallway to get to Arkham's office.

Once she got there, everyone fell silent.

"D-Doctor Arkham?" She asked with furrowed brows and he walked to her. "What's going on?"

"He's asking for you." He told her lowly and more confusion filled her.

Her lips pushed together and Arkham took a deep breath.

"Follow me," he moved past her and everyone watched as he lead her down the hall to an interrogation room.

It wasn't the room itself, but the small one right by it that had a window that people could observe a patient from. Of course to the patient it just looked like a mirror, but they all knew that they were being watched when they sat in there.

It took Harleen a moment to pull her thoughts together before she looked up from the ground and saw who Arkham, and everyone else, was nervous about.

Harleen only cursed every now and then. And they weren't incredibly vulgar words. And she'd never, ever said the four letter one that started with an F.

But the second she pieced together who it was that was staring directly into her eyes, her soul (even though he couldn't see exactly where she was) she broke her rule of never saying the word.

Doctor Arkham's eyes widened and he looked appalled by her language. She was a woman, after all, and they rarely spoke that way.

But she didn't care.

The eyes that were staring at her were that familiar blue.

He sat in a white suit and lavender suit, a white bow tie around his neck and very light lavender gloves on his hands.

Bright, vivid green had replaced black tresses and searing red had stained his lips.

He looked impossibly cruel, someone Harleen hadn't seen her whole life.

But she knew she had.

She tried to gulp down air, but nothing was working. Standing, shaking, and confused, Harleen stepped closer to the window and narrowed her eyes to see anything else that might've changed.

He was thicker.

He'd been lean with a little muscle back when she met him. She looked at him now and could see muscle encased under the fine suit.

He sat with his hands folded neatly on the table and his eyes focused on the mirror in the room with him.

Harleen worked up the guts to speak, and when she did, she found it hard to wrap her head around.

"I-I want to speak to him."

Of course Arkham was reluctant, constantly asking "why" and telling her it's too dangerous.

He was right.

It was dangerous to have the same man that introduced her to far more adventurous things sitting only feet from her.

The same man that showed her to embrace the sides of herself that weren't always proper and happy.

The same man that, years prior, had always looked at her with the fire of hell—and her, him.

But she didn't care.

She wanted to speak to him.

And she was going to whether Arkham agreed or not.

"He's requesting to see you," Arkham told her lowly and she looked over her shoulder at him.

"Will you let me?" She raises her brows.

"Harleen, it's very dangerous to—"

"—Doctor, please." She begs. "You told me, when I first came to work here, that I was going to have to take risks if I wanted to be successful." She recalled to him. "This is a risk I'm going to have to take in order to progress in my career. It's The Joker. It'd send my career to the sky."

"Which is exactly why it'd be smart to lay low on this case for a few days." He pointed out. "You're a woman, Harleen. I for one believe you can anything you put your mind to, but when your male colleagues hear of you taking on the most complicated patient these walls have ever seen? They'll be livid. I don't want you in the middle of that." He whispered and her face fell in defeat. "But, if we keep this between us . . . " he mumbled and she perked up.

" . . . Oh, thank you, Doctor Arkham!" She smiled widely and threw her arms around him. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Alright, alright, shh." He hushed her. "You have ten minutes." He adds and she looks startled.

"I–You've given me no time to prepare. I need—"

"—There's nothing to prepare for, Harleen. You will get privacy for the sake of his confidentiality."

"Thank you, Doctor, but still I have no questions or anything to even take notes on," she stops, seeing his expression.

"You'll do fine, Harleen. Ten minutes." He raises his brows, and opens the door, letting her go into the hallway.

She walks further down the hall to the actual interrogation room and stops outside of it, mentally preparing herself as fast as she can.

Opening the door, she sees him sitting with his back to her and she feels her body lock up.

It isn't until she closes the door behind her and approaches him, that he even acknowledges someone else being in the room.

"Beautiful day, isn't it?" His chipper yet haunting voice echoes quietly and she takes a deep breath.

His voice wasn't as smooth as it used to be.

It was gravely, almost tired sounding.

Perhaps he was tired.

It certainly wouldn't have surprised her. His life was so fast paced, he probably needed more sleep and whiskey than anyone else to keep up with himself.

"Yes," her voice remained calm. "It is a rather lovely day."

The sound of her calming, sweet voice brought back millions of memories to him instantly.

 _"Jack! Stop it, I just put on my lipstick!" The same voice shouted playfully as he stole a kiss from her._

His eyes opened and he clenched his fist nervously, whisking away the faint memory.

He'd already gotten out of the chains that latched him to the table he was seated at.

But he also didn't want to frighten her by moving too quickly.

He wanted to savor the moment.

She stepped closer to him and he damned whatever consequences awaited him, and stood.

The moment he turned around, Harleen's breathing didn't falter.

And neither did his.

Instead of her fast pounding, she was oddly calmed down. Seeing him, knowing he was okay, knowing he'd survived the war . . . She was relieved.

And he was in hell.

She didn't look very different. She'd grown very much, of course. But she still had those beautiful blue eyes and those full, red lips that showed like black on white against her fair skin.

They held each other's gazes for what seemed like forever before he finally broke the silence.

"Well, This is an interesting turn of events." His voice is low and she almost faints at the way he says it.

"The most strange, I believe." She smiles gently.

"Peculiar." He adds.

"Awkward." She replies.

"Weird."

"Embarrassing."

"Humiliating." He scoffs.

"Why're you humiliated?" She furrowed her brows.

"Why're you embarrassed?" He mimicked her expression.

"I'm not embarrassed." She chuckled.

"Then why'd you say so?" He stepped closer and she was quick to reply.

"You're still so argumentative." She grinned.

"I'm only argumentative when I'm bored." He rolled his eyes.

"You argued very seldom back then." She shook her head and he raised his brows.

"Because I had you back then." The words were barely audible but that didn't stop Harleen from hearing them.

Her eyes widened and she cleared her throat.

He focused on the ring on her left hand and felt defeated, but contained it; only letting a few questions about Lewis come out.

"You're married?" He nodded to the ring.

"Oh, yes." She nodded, feeling guilty.

"Hmm . . . " he nodded. " . . . Who is he?"

"Lewis Dence." She informed him and he gritted his teeth.

"That bastard." He muttered.

"What's wrong with him?"

"Old Money." He replied and she felt a personal attack against herself from him, simply because she'd grown up rich as well from money that'd been passed down for generations in her family.

"Like me?" She cocked her head and he realized what he said and shook his head.

"You're not mean about your wealth. Whereas your wonderful husband boasts about it, you see?" He corrects himself and she nods slowly.

"That's just who he is. A bruiting spirit of a man. If he even has a spirit." Her tone shifts lowly. "I heavily question whether he does, sometimes."

"Why's that?"

"He acts like my employer more than my husband at times." She laughs to brush it off as nothing to be upset over, but that doesn't stop J from growing a bit angry over the thought of another man screaming her head off over something petty.

"I'm sorry to hear that." He admits and she stares at him, completely captivated.

"He was in the war as well," she goes to change the subject and He raised his brows.

"Really, now?"

"Yes. He served four months before he was wounded and sent back home."

"Where was he wounded?"

"His collar bone was fractured. By the time he recovered the war had ended."

"Mmm." He grunted, tempted to say a smart remark but decided against it. "When'd you marry?"

"Five years ago." She answered and he remained calm, although he was bothered by the fact she moved on that quickly.

"Well, then, I'm happy you've found someone." He shoved his fists into his pockets.

"Well, I'm sure you have, too." She twiddled her thumbs nervously.

"No, I haven't." He replied sternly and she looked confused.

"I imagine you have money. And although you're not necessarily traditionally attractive, you are still attractive. Surely women still—"

"—They have." He assured her. "But none of them have been good enough." He was honest and she felt a tinge in her heart.

It was obvious he wasn't the most caring person anymore.

"I was good enough for you, wasn't I?" She wanted to defend those women, the ones he talked to carelessly about. She knew he had standards, but to say none of them were good enough made it sound harsh and mean. Something he never was when they were together.

"There's the difference." He rubbed his smooth chin. "You're you. They're not."

The turn of the conversation made her blush slightly, and feel a little guilty. Showing a man she used to love so dearly, so much attention made her want to forget she was married.

But she couldn't.

The 35 Caret diamond ring that clung to her ring finger felt like a chain that she'd never get rid of, despite how miserable she was.

The knock on the door interrupted her before she could reply, and J was already back and chained to the table.

"I'll be seeing you, Doc." He told her and she nodded, opening the door, and leaving.

 _ **Anastasia**_

"Harleen, how was work?" Lewis asked Harley as we're gathered around the eating table.

"Delightful, dear." She responded with a small smile.

"Mmm," he nodded, taking another bite of steak.

"And you?" She wiped her mouth and he chewed slower, looking at her almost evilly for even asking the question.

"Fine." He knocked back more whiskey and sat back in his chair. "I heard who they got back in that looney house."

"Oh, yes, it's all crazy down there." She nodded. "Everyone's scared out of their minds."

"I do hope you are. Fear is the only thing that keeps people alive, Harley. Without it, we have no limits." He tells her sharply and she shoots him a look.

"I'm well aware of my limits, Lewis." She looked almost heartbroken by his comment.

They both suddenly looked at me and dismissed themselves from the table.

Not long after, the door bell rings and I look around to see if either of them, or the help is going to answer it.

When no one does, I stepped to the door and opened it.

An attractive dark haired man in a suit smiled kindly to me.

"Hello, Madam. I'm Johnny Frost, I'm looking for Mrs. Quinzel-Dence." He told me and I nodded.

"Yes, in her cousin, Anastasia. She's around here somewhere. Just give me a moment." I step away from the door to find her and when I do, my heart sinks.

She's on the floor of her bedroom, holding her knuckles with tears going down her face.

"Harley, what happened?" I rushed to her and she shook her head.

"It's better my knuckles get bruised than my face, I suppose." She tried to smile and I looked over her bruised and swollen hand. "I blocked him." She explained. "I found a letter in a stack of mail from _her_ , and I confronted him and he got angry."

I waited a moment to speak, knowing she'd need a moment to dry her tears before going to see Mr. Frost.

"There's a Johnny Frost downstairs to see you." I finally tell her and she wiped her eyes.

"Oh, dear, I'm a completely wreck." She giggled, standing and straightening her dress.

Putting on a charming and warm smile, she headed downstairs.

I followed, only standing at the top of the stairs as she met him at the door and only chatted with him a minute and a half. They spoke under their breaths, and he handed her an envelope that she quickly tucked away in the top of her dress.

 **I don't know if some of you have picked up on this yet, but some of you have; yes, this story was inspired by one of my all time favorite stories** ** _The Great Gatsby_** **by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It's not the completely same story (it's not going to end like Gatsby did because that shits too damn sad) and it won't follow the storyline to a T but there are a lot of similarities between the two because like I said, I love the story and figured "why the fuck not?" So here it is. Thank you for all the follows, favs and reviews, I love you guys. You're the reason I write and do what I do. Y'all are incredible.**

 **On a side note, The Devil May Cry will be updated very soon (hopefully tomorrow).**

 **On another side note . . . Because I'm irresponsible and accidentally deleted every prompt I was given for the oneshots I promised a lot of you, I need everyone (except the ones I've already written) to give me their prompt again so I can continue working on those. I had all the ideas jotted down in my notes on my phone and shit went to shit and they got deleted. Thank you!**


	5. Chapter lV

**A/N: THIS CHAPTER IS KINDA SAD...OKAY A LOT SAD. LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF THE STORY SO FAR! AND THANK YOULL FOR THE LOVE AND SUPPORT:) IT MEANS THE WORLD TO ME!**

 ** _Chapter lV_**

 ** _Anastasia_**

I noticed immediately after the conversation Harleen had with Johnny Frost that night, she was different.

She seemed as if there was hope again, like she had a reason to smile again.

She'd go to work and come back home smiling wider than she was before she left.

I was thrilled at her change in demeanor and view of things.

I felt as though I was witnessing a flower slowly starting to bloom during a cold and hard winter.

Lewis was noticing a change too. And for some reason, he seemed as though it was because of him—as if he succeeded in making her believe he wouldn't dare look at another woman again.

But he didn't know the real reason. Nobody but Harleen and Johnny knew why she was so happy all the sudden.

Not until Katherine mentioned something to me about it over dinner while Harleen and Lewis were away talking about buying more land with an agent from Chicago.

"The man's name is Jack Napier." She told me quietly so the help wouldn't hear. "I've met him before but I didn't know he was who he is now." She adds.

"What?" I was confused as to what she was telling me.

"The man Harleen's seeing at Arkham? Her patient, The Joker?"

I almost spit my water out.

"Excuse me?" I raised my brows and she giggled.

"The richest man in Gotham City." She sighs dreamily.

"Also the most insane." I add and she gives me a flat look as if I'd just rained on her parade. "She knew him?" I ask aloud and she grins slyly.

"She knew him alright." She scoffed. "Caught them in the Mayor's pool house back before he went back to war. Weekend leave, you see." She explained.

Then it all clicked.

The letters, the pictures, the box on her shelf.

He was the man she was with. And she had been in love with him at the time those pictures were taken and those letters were written.

I felt almost an ache in my heart at the thought of her not being with a man she clearly loved earlier in her life.

What happened to them? Why weren't they married now?

"It never registered to me that, Joker was Jack until Mr. Frost asked to speak with me a couple weeks ago at a party. He told me he was speaking in regards of his employer, then went on to explain the situation and said that Mr. Joker would appreciate if I kept it from Harleen until he had the chance to see her again, you see?" She licked her lips.

"What happened?" My curiosity gets the best of me and she glances around and leans in closer.

"They met in Montgomery, Alabama." She tells me. "He was visiting a friend down there while he was on leave and Harleen was down there with her mother seeing her great uncle. I joined them because Harleen asked me to. One night, they were having a get together for the soldiers and they invited all of Montgomery's finest rich folks. I was out having a smoke when I heard Harleen laughing and I turned my head and saw her eyes were watering from laughing so hard. The culprit of that laughter was in the car with her. They were so absorbed with each other that they didn't know I was there until I was three foot away." She giggles. "They were inseparable from that moment on. But when he had to go to war, he never returned. Harleen thought he was dead for the longest time. But she knew he wasn't, deep down. Eventually she came of age to marry and every bachelor near and far made their proposal. She engaged three different times before Lewis Dence showed up with a handsome face, and more money than god." Her tone shifted and she sighed. "They engaged in February and married in September, four years ago." Solemness takes over her voice and she sighs again. "The day of the wedding, Harleen received a letter from Jack and downed a whole bottle of whiskey that morning before she married that night. But it was too late to go back to him. That night at 8:00, Harleen Quinzel married Lewis Dence with more splendid demeanor and hidden torment than Gotham City's ever seen." Katherine looks as though she has tears in her eyes for a split moment before she clears her throat to continue. "Their honey moon in Louisiana lasted 2 months and not a few days after they returned from New Orleans . . . Lewis had a car wreck and the woman with him was the Mayor's secretary."

"And Jack?" I ask with a shaky voice.

"When he found out she married, he got raging drunk and went down to the chemical plant. One thing led to another and he lost his footing and fell into a chemical vat. The man snapped and then started building his career and reputation as The Joker. He's got more money than Lewis will ever have and Mr. Frost said he's saved all of it up for Harleen, if she ever chose to come back to him, so he could spoil her and get her anything and everything she ever wanted."

"And now that he's in Arkham?" I clear my throat.

"He's not trying to steal Harleen from Lewis. He's just missed her and wants her to know he doesn't hate her for moving on when he didn't."

I couldn't say anything else to Katherine about what she'd told me. She seemed to understand and stood up to excuse herself.

 ** _Third Person_**

The next evening, Harleen walked to her car in the parking lot of Arkham—completely content with how her sessions with The Joker had been going. She saw him three times a week and it was only her third session with him that day, but she was already happy with how he was changing.

She wouldn't even call it a therapy session, really.

They just sat, completely mesmerized by one another. Harleen telling him about the last five years, and him telling her about the last five years.

Everything they'd missed about each other slipped into the room of her office, disguised in different words.

The first session they had, he acted as though he were a child on his first play date with a girl he had a crush on.

He was awkward and stuttered about, and rambled on trying to keep Harleen entertained and smiling.

But with each session he started to regain his confidence with her and she was more than happy to welcome it with open arms.

She grinned to herself and opened her car door just as someone gently grasped her arm.

She startled before turning to see Johnny Frost.

"Johnny, you scared me." She brushed it off and put her things in the car.

"I'm sorry, Harleen." He smiled warmly. "Mr. J wanted me to give this to you. He was going to give it to you himself but, he couldn't wait a whole weekend." He explained.

He then handed her a beautiful box and she furrowed her brows.

She'd received a box like it back when her and Lewis first got engaged.

He'd given her a Tiffany bracelet worth $470,000 with a matching Necklace worth $845,000.

She brushed off the memory and licked her lips anxiously.

"He wanted you to open it in front of me so I could tell him how you reacted." He added to her and she laughed.

"Sounds like something he'd say." She shook her head and slowly opened the box, and gasped when she saw what it was. "Is this what I think it is?" She was breathless.

"2.1 million dollars in a single ring." He chuckled.

"I–I can't accept this, Johnny. It's too much—"

"—Why do you think he has saved up all that money he has?" His question boggled Harleen's mind. "Do you like it or not?"

"Oh, Johnny I love it." She smiled at him. "It's too kind of him."

"Nonsense." He scoffed. "He'd do anything for you, you know that."

She felt herself blush slightly at his words but nodded and closed the box.

"Thank you for delivering this for him. Tell him it's greatly appreciated." She told him and he kissed her cheek, wished her a good night, and disappeared in the parking lot.

Once Harleen got home, Lewis was waiting for her in the living room.

She plopped her stuff by the door and took her coat off, walking to him.

"Hello, Darling." She kissed his forehead and he grasped her wrist before she could go upstairs.

She looked back down at him where he sat in his chair.

"I need to speak to you." He told her and she gave a confused look, but sat on the arm rest of his chair and listened.

He spun a tale of how he'd be out of town for a week at a golfing tournament with one of his "buddies" was going with him.

He then went on to say that he was going to invite her to go with him, but he knew she hated golf.

Which was a complete lie.

"So you're going to be gone for a week?" She asked, heartbroken.

"Oh, but I'll call every night and take plenty of pictures and I'll bring back a bottle of the finest scotch I can find. I promise, Harleen." His large hands enveloped hers.

She didn't argue or accuse him of really going to wherever he was with the other woman he sought out when he thought Harleen wasn't looking.


	6. Chapter V

**Chapter V**

 ** _Third Person_**

Harleen sat across from The Joker, tears rolling down her cheeks from laughing so hard.

He'd missed her laugh, so, so much.

"That was quite the story." She finally pulled herself together and he raised his brows.

"My apologies," he told her and she wiped her tears and she shook her head.

"No, no, no." She waved her hand. "There's no reason to apologize. I haven't laughed that hard in years." She admitted and he leaned forward.

"Really?"

"Really." She crossed her legs.

"What's a marriage without laughter?" His smile was wide and she had to remind herself she was a married woman before she complimented that charming smile of his.

"A marriage with affairs and abuse." She mumbled but when he raised a suspicious brow, she brushed it off as if she hadn't said a thing. "Well, Mister Joker, I'm afraid our session is over."

"Oh, is it?" He even glances at his own watch and she furrows her brows.

"Where did you get that?" She questions him and he hums.

"I know people, Harleen." His comment made a smile appear on her face and she nodded slowly.

"Very well then." She stood from her desk to take his file to the door and hand it to his orderlies to give to Dr. Arkham. Before she got to the door, he stopped her, grabbing her wrist.

Her first instinct was to defend herself, but when she turned around to face him, his eyes mesmerized her and she fell paralyzed.

"Yes?" She asked quietly.

"You wanna go out with me some time?" He asked like a child asking if he can eat his dessert since he'd already eaten his vegetables.

Harleen felt shocked, but she couldn't bring herself to completely disregard his question.

"No offense, Mr. J, but you can't go 'out' anywhere at the moment." She eyed his Arkham cloths and his lips twitched, daring to grin.

"I have friends, remember?"

"And I am a married woman, remember?" She held her left hand up and that taunting 35k diamond wedding ring of hers, stared into his soul and he felt belittled by her remark.

"Advancing you is not even in my list of intentions, Doc. Don't make this awkward by tricking yourself into believing it's something that it's not." Now it's her who looks defeated.

"I'll take myself out when I get free. Forget it." He told her and let her wrist go.

Long after he was gone, she sat and pouted.

"Take himself out? Ha. Please. The man can not even go a minute without talking. Who would he have to talk to if he took himself out? Nobody, that's who." She crossed her arms and huffed, poking her lip out. "And I am not tricking myself into thinking anything. When a man asks a woman out it's so he can confess his undying love for her. Everybody knows that." She scoffed. "And I know he loves me and he can not tell me different. Everybody loves me; I'm a blonde." She rolled her jaw.

It nagged at her still, and eventually as the night progressed, she found herself marching down the hall to his cell to see he was asleep.

She checked to make sure no one was around before she unlocked it and walked in.

"Wake up, you stubborn brute," she said, Throwing her shoe at him to wake him up.

"I am awake, you stubborn, small, woman." He said calmly, his eyes still closed.

"I am not small."

"Are too." He chuckled quietly. "Why're you here, Little Dence?"

She walked forward and stood over him.

"Quinzel-Dence, wise-ass." She squared her shoulders. "And I'm here to tell you that I am not tricking myself into believing that you asked me out so you could pursue a relationship with a married woman."

"Sure you are." He opened his blue eyes to stare up at her.

"I am not!"

"Then why are you defending yourself if it isn't what you're doing?"

"Because I don't like being accused, Mister Joker. If I should even call you 'mister' being you're acting like an infant." She quipped.

"So we goin' out soon or what?"

"We are not."

"And why not?"

"Because I am married." She snapped.

"We're friends, Harleen." He smiled a silver grin. "Old friends can't go out and catch up on things? If it isn't obvious, I have a lot to tell you." He motioned to his appearance and she felt a tug at her heart.

"Oh," she tried not to sound like he'd proven her wrong. "I'll think on it." She finally said and he closed his eyes again.

"I know you've already made your mind up so just tell me now whether we're goin out or not."

"I have not made my decision yet!" She stomped her foot and he sighed.

"Goodnight, Doc."

She huffed out a sigh and grabbed her shoe from the floor before stomping to the door and leaving.

 ** _Anastasia_**

There's a knock at the door by the time I'm getting out of the bath, and I throw my bath robe on and tie it before I walk down the stairs.

Harleen let all the maids and butlers have the next week off with pay since Lewis won't be present.

I open the door and see Mr. Frost.

I pull the robe tighter around me and he looks down, smiling a little at my flushed face.

"Um, Harleen isn't here," I tell him. "Can I take a mess—"

"—I'm actually not here for Harleen, Mrs. Quinzel." He tells me and I furrow my brows. "I mean, I am, but I'm also here for you."

"For . . . ?"

" . . . I'm taking you two out for a night on the town. My boss requested I do so."

"Oh," I turn to look at the clock in the living room. "It's already 7:00 and I'm not sure I have a dress—"

"—I'm not taking no for an answer simply because my employer wouldn't take no for an answer." His sweet smile persuaded me and I finally nodded.

"Fine." I let him in the house. "Harleen should be back shortly from work. There's Brandy in the liquor cabinet in the kitchen and—"

"—Liquor? What about the prohibition?" His innocent question makes me laugh loudly.

"You work for a crime lord, don't act like the prohibition is relevant when you have the money to bootleg." I tell him and he rubs his lips together to hide his smile.

Once Harleen arrives home, she's a flustered mess.

"What's the matter with you?" I ask her, fastening my pearl necklace and she scoffs.

"What isn't the matter with me? My husband's god knows where with god knows who doing god knows what and my patient is the most aggravating and provoking man I've ever met." She kicks her heals off.

"Mmm, I'll pretend you mean that." I smirk and she rolls her eyes.

"Why does everyone think I have feelings for him?" She groans, falling back on the bed.

"Because you were in love with him once before. It's very possible you—"

"—Not one more word, Anastasia. I am a married woman." She sits up.

"You're married to a fool."

"I'm a fool." She rubs her forehead. "I'm the one who married him. And I love him. I truly do. But it's hard being in a marriage that's only one sided."

"Now you know why I haven't bothered with marriage." I reply and she laughs softly.

"No, you're like a sommelier. You like to sample every kind of wine their is before you marry one, Dear." She smiles childishly and I pretend to be offended.

"I do not!" I argue.

"You're my baby cousin and I love you. Which is why I'm being honest with you, the family thinks you're a floozy; hence why you haven't settled down yet." She informs me and my mouth drops.

"I am not a floozy . . . You can sample wine without sleeping with it." I roll my eyes and she bursts into laughter. A question lingers in my mind and I snap my compact mirror shut and turn to Harleen. "I've got a question. It's horribly personal and I'm not sorry for it because I've got to know." I fix my lipstick. "Did you and Jack ever . . . You know . . . Sample each other's wine?" I grin slyly and Harleen's mouth falls in shock.

"Anastasia, you scandalous child!" She pipes.

"Well did you?" I cross my arms. "I won't tell Lewis, or anyone else for that matter." I assure her.

She stays quiet a moment before she looks up at me and smiles mischievously.

"A few times." She tells me.

"Harleen Francis Quinzel-Dence. I thought you were a virgin until you were married? At least that's what you told my mother."

"Because no one was aware of mine and Jack's relationship. My mother saw us as just friends and so did everyone else in the family. He was too broke at the time. My parents didn't want to imagine someone as broke as him marrying someone as rich as me. It made them sick." She looked down.

"Lewis treats you horribly, though." I argue and she looks at me tiredly.

"And Ja–Joker, is just as vibrant and funny and charming as he was when I first met him." She shrugs and I frown a little bit.

"You think?"

"I know." She nods. "Personality doesn't matter when it comes to people like us, Ana. It's all about the money. Lewis has plenty, Jack had none."

The sad reality of it makes me feel sorry for her and I sit beside her on the bed.

"Johnny's taking me and you out tonight." I tell her and she snaps her head up to look at me.

"W–What?" She looks bewildered.

"Joker told him to take me and you out for a night on the town."

She stands abruptly and pulls her shoes back on.

"Harleen!" I call after her and she runs out of the room and I follow her.

The moment she opens the front door, she squeaks and slams it shut again.

"What's wrong?" I come down the stairs.

"He's out there!" She whisper yells.

"What?"

"Jack–Joker is out there!" She paces anxiously. "Oh, god, the house is a wreck, the wallpaper is chipped, the book case is dusty, I look like hell—"

"—Harley." I hold her arms in my hands and make her face me. "Take a deep breath." I order her and she does as she's told. "That man is here to see you. Not the wallpaper, or the bookcase. _You_. Open the door and welcome him into this house and I'll cover for you while you go get ready."

She sighs with relief.

"Oh, would you, Ana?" She folds her fingers together.

"Of course." I smile back kindly. "Let him in, and head up stairs." I nod to the door and she pulls away from me slowly, walking to the door.

A nervous hand twists the door knob and she opens it.

"I apologize for my behavior." She tells him and Johnny both. "Please, come in." She steps aside and I feel my entire body fork rigid, realizing that despite The Joker being Harleen's first love, he's still a criminal. And I was being left alone with him as she got dressed.

"I'll be down shortly, Dear. Okay?" She kisses my cheek and while I try to find the words to protest, she hurries up the stairs.

I whimper lowly and turn back around to see Mister J in a grey suit, a bright purple bow tie around his neck, a cane in his hand and the look of pure lust, mixed with uncertainty, on his face.

"She's such an extraordinary woman, isn't she?" He grins, exposing silver teeth and I feel light headed.

"I'm getting a drink." I walk backwards, slow as I can, to the kitchen to make sure he doesn't try any funny business when I turn my back.

And when I feel the door hit my back, I turn and dart in as fast as I can.

 ** _Third Person_**

Harleen pokes the earring through her ear, and reaches on her vanity counter for her diamond necklace.

Her hands go behind her neck to fasten it, but she can't quite get it.

Before she gives up, she sees J standing in the door way behind her.

She smiles to herself and makes eye contact with him in the mirror.

"Thought you'd have enough respect to stay in the living room and not wonder around my house." She shot at him and he snickered, walking up behind her.

"May I?" He asked and she was hesitant, but handed him the delicate diamond necklace.

She had to hide her breath hitching when his hands brushed against her skin as he pulled the string of glitter around her neck. When he fastened it, his hands lingered on her shoulders and she took a deep breath. He moved his hands down her arms and she stood up and turned to avoid letting him do anything she'd regret him doing later.

That didn't help, though.

They were an inch apart, if that much. An eery energy hung around them.

She could feel him wanting to kiss her, and he knew she wanted him to. But they were both painfully aware of the fact she was married, and they were in the very room she and her husband indulged in their passion practically every night.

To distract himself of this reality, J grabbed her dancing shoes that she'd laid out, and sunk into a crouch; taking him time to put them on her feet for her like he'd always done when they were together.

She felt completely empty, seeing him do it again after so many years.

She was in denial that she'd screwed up by marrying Lewis, and Joker knew she was.

Once he stood, instead of kissing her like he longed to do, he cupped her soft face in his hands and chuckled.

"Let's go out, ya brat of a woman." He picked at her and she giggled, playfully pushing him away so she could grab her coat.


	7. Chapter Vl

**_Chapter Vl_**

 ** _Third Person_ **

Harleen stared in adornment at the large mansion in her view as the car pulled up.

Joker couldn't help her staring and he smirked to himself.

"You like it?" He asked her gently and she looked at him and practically beamed.

"I adore it. It's absolutely extravagant." She replied and he chuckled, getting out to open her door for her. "J, do you even know these people?" Harleen asked as The Joker lead her through the crowd of people dancing, drinking, and laughing.

"Of course not," He smiled in response.

"Where's Ana?" She noticed she wasn't with them and he looked around.

"No need to worry, I'm sure Johnny's keeping her company." He assured her and she raised a brow at what he was implying.

"Ya know, that is my baby cousin. I'd hate to see anything dreadful happen to her. A girl with a broken heart is reckless, after all." She thought aloud. "Maybe we should—"

"—Harleen, Anastasia's fine." He cut her short.

"Well, I'm just concerned with what your brute of a worker and my cousin are doing."

"That brute is a friend, not just an employee. And you have nothing to worry about. Have a drink and relax." He suggested and she grabbed the first two glasses of whiskey she could find and downed both without blinking an eye and he stood astounded.

"What?" She looked at him wide eyed. "A lady can't drink whiskey?"

"I didn't know you did," he admitted and she scoffed.

"There's a lot I didn't do when we were together." She told him with a small smile. "They're all retched and scandalous; things a lady should never do in her life." She added and he found something alluring and beautiful about what she'd just shared with him and he smiled widely at her.

He leaned down, and his lips brushed against her ear as he spoke - bringing back a familiar jolt through her body - and he said:

"I think it's safe to say I've done some things along those lines as well."

He said it to remind her who he was now, to remind her he wasn't the same man she'd fallen in love with. He was a murderer, a criminal, a bootlegger, a Barbarian. He could kill everyone around them and not feel a shred of guilt. He could kill her . . . And probably not feel a shred of guilt. And she knew it. He knew she did, and so did she.

Harleen still smiled up at him and set her glass down, offering him her hand.

"I do hope you still know how to dance." She said smoothly, practically in a siren song. No man would be able to say no when she said it like that.

He grinned like a shark and gave one of his men, who'd been following close behind, his cane and took her hand in his.

"As if I could ever say 'no' to you."

He rested his arm around her waist before taking a step back, rolling his shoulders to pop his joints.

She giggled and smiled and laughed as they did practically every dance from the Charleston to the Foxtrot until they could both barely move anymore. That's when the music settled and they danced in a tiny circle, just moving a little bit, holding each other closely.

"I used to love parties." She told him lowly. "Lewis takes me to all the parties known to this city."

"And I've never seen you at one." He replied in the same tone and she looked up at him.

"The parties he took me to weren't this electric. They were filled with other women and more booze than anybody could possibly imagine. They were relatively small and boring." She breathed. "No, I haven't been to a party like this, with a man, in ages."

"You should come more often. I try to throw the best ones I can." It then hits her that this was his party, and the large mansion was also his.

"Tell me this isn't all yours?" She furrowed her brows and he chuckled. "How much money do you have?" She asked shocked.

"More than you and your husband combined." He said truthfully and she kept her smile to herself as she studied him.

"We had a good run, you know." She told him gently. "You and me."

He licked his lips and glowered down at her.

"Yes, I suppose we did."

"We were so young." She said next. "I was at least."

"You didn't know what you were doing." He shrugged. "No use in regretting anything now. Won't change the past."

"You waited for me. Five years—"

"—Harleen, enough." He scolded her and she shut her lips and they continued dancing slowly. "I am sorry. But I don't think a party is the most appropriate place to apologize or feel sorry. They're supposed to be fun."

"They are, I mean it is. I am having fun." She nodded once with a genuine smile adorning her features and he looked her up and down quickly, thinking she hadn't noticed.

But she had.

And she couldn't help but admire how he looked so handsome. He'd always been so handsome.

She caught herself practically drooling over him, and shifted her mind to something different to distract herself.

"I do wonder where Ana and Johnny ran off to." She rubbed her red lips together and his eyes didn't pull away from seeing her doing so.

"L-Let's go see if we can't find them, huh?" He suggested. Anything keep from leaning down and kissing her.

 ** _Anastasia_**

"This is so beautiful." I sigh, looking around the grand living room of the mansion and Johnny chuckled lowly. "Who's place is this?"

"A friend of mine." He replied, rubbing his stubbly chin.

"I bet you have plenty of rich friends." I commented and he narrowed his eyes at me.

"Why do you feel the need to say those little remarks?" He crossed his arms and I play innocent.

"What are you talking about?"

"The little comments like the one you just made. The ones that seem innocent and sweet to other people but I know you're implying that because I am working for a criminal that I'm just the most horrible person there ever will be."

"I've never said that once about you."

"You don't have to." He laughed without humor. "But you're so passive that I know what you mean when you say 'bet you have lots of rich friends'. Why do you bet that? What makes you think I got lots of rich friends? Because I'm the right hand man to a complete loon? Because I got my money from being apart of illegal operations like everybody I'm friends with?" His tone didn't shift to hostile one time and Ana was thankful for it.

"I apologize, Mr. Frost." I tell him quietly. "I didn't mean to offend you. I'm just very, very, confused." I close my eyes a moment. "I'm helping my cousin, encouraging my cousin, to have a friendship with someone who could provoke her to be disloyal to her husband." I plopped down on the couch.

"J and Harleen aren't going to be more than friends." He sat beside me and I looked up at him.

"Yeah?"

"He has no intentions of getting between her and her husband. He simply wanted her to know he wasn't angry at her for moving on. He just wanted to see she was okay. And he knows she is now."

I scoffed, and he furrowed his brows at me.

"What was that?"

"What was what?" I asked, raising my brows and he cocked his head.

"That little," he mimicked my scoff. "Thing you did?"

"Because Harleen isn't okay." I told him lowly.

"What do you—"

"—Lewis hits her when he's angry. He leaves her for weeks without as much as a phone call and he runs around with as many women as he possibly can. Harleen is not okay which is why this whole predicament is startling." I explain.

"I'm sure my boss is going to handle this with as much care and consideration for both Harleen's feelings and her marriage, as he can." He rested his hand on my knee and I looked at him thoughtfully.

"Hopefully nothing too scandalous occurs between them." I stared him in the eyes and he did the same to me, a small smirk pulling at his lips.

"One could only hope not." He added, leaning in closer a little and I did the same.

"They'd have to come up with one hell of an explanation." I said next and he leaned in even closer, our lips almost touching.

"Surely." He whispered, and just as our lips touch, the door swings open and we shoot a part to see Harleen and J, hand in hand, grinning ear to ear.

"Found them!" J piped. "What have you two crazy kids been up to, eh?" He winked at Johnny.

"Oh, stop it." Harleen scolded him before she walked to me. "I want event single detail when we get back home." She told me and I glanced at J who eyed her darkly.

"I was just about to tell you the same thing." I muttered and she hit my arm gently.

"There's nothing to tell." She spoke through her teeth.

"Yet." I retorted and she rolled her jaw.

"Ladies?" Johnny's voice brought us from our little bicker and we looked at him and J.

"Yes?" Harleen asked him and he nodded to the door.

It only took us a second to recognize Katherine as she stepped towards us.

"What are you doing here?" Harleen asked her sharply. "You're supposed to be watching the house—"

"—Lewis is back." Katherine cut her short.

"What?" Harleen looked wide eyed.

"Lewis came back early and he's here right now looking for you."

"Who the hell told him I was here?!" Harleen raised her voice.

"He read the note you left for me, telling me where you were going and when you'd be back and he's here looking for you." Katherine held her hands to her neck nervously and Harleen looked at me, Johnny and J.

"He'll be infuriated if he finds out J's here." She told us in a panic.

"He won't find out." J assured her. "Johnny, go make sure everyone leaves. Now." He ordered him. "Harleen when people start leaving you go and find your husband." His tone was bitter and Harleen's face fell at the sound of it.

Johnny quickly kissed my cheek before leaving to go outside.

"Katherine, Ana, leave us." Harleen remained fixed on J and me and Katherine looked at each other before walking to the back door.

It was still cracked open and I couldn't help but peek inside at the two of them.

After Johnny shot a bullet into the air and scared everyone half to death, only to tell them the party was over, there was so much noise and ruckus, I couldn't quite catch what they were saying to each other.

But knew, from the look in his eyes and the look in hers, they were already planning their apologies to her family and Lewis for their future actions.

And just as they were about to kiss, I felt someone grab my arm and I turned to see Lewis.

"Have you seen my wife?!" He shouted over the noise.

I didn't know what to say. I didn't know what to do. But gladly I didn't have to do a damn thing.

Out of the corner of my eye I see Harleen pull away from Joker through the crack in the door, and rush towards me and Lewis.

She bursts out, immediately shutting it, keeping J out of sight.

"Dear! You're back from your trip so soon." She threw her arms around his neck and he smiled.

"I've missed you so much, Harley." He obviously lied to her and she pressed a kiss to his lips. "Let's get out of this rat trap." He grabbed her hand and me and Katherine followed them to Lewis's car.

I looked back up at the house to see the haunting, faint shadow of J in one of the upstairs windows.

The moment he met eyes with me, and saw Harleen getting into the car - practically latching onto Lewis like a leech - he let the curtain fall back into place and walked away from the view of Harleen.


	8. Chapter Vll

**Warning:**

 **Sexual Situations**

 **Language**

 **Chapter Vll**

 ** _Third Person_**

Lewis undressed and crawled into bed by Harleen, who was reading up on one of her patients files.

He through his arm around her hips and rested his head on her thigh, gazing up on her.

He cleared his throat and she glanced down at him.

"Yes?" She asked gently and he sat up and plucked the file from her hands, and pressed his lips to her gently.

She felt her heart swoon and returned it happily.

When he pulled away, he brushed some of her blonde hair from her face and she grinned.

"I've missed you." He whispered.

"I've missed you more." She exhaled. "How was your trip?"

She knew how his trip really was. He slept with other women and pretended he wasn't married while he played all the golf he wanted and flaunted his money around.

"It was excellent but I came back early because I missed you." Lewis lied and she giggled.

"I've missed you, too, Lewis. The house has been so lonely without your constant yelling and brutality." She added and he rolled his jaw.

"Harleen." His gaze grew dark and she smiled calmly.

"You've been gone." She said. "I'm aggravating you." She leaned forward and kissed him again. "Sorry."

"Hmm," he mumbled against her lips. "I know a way you can make it up to me." He told her and she laughed as he rolled on top of her and kissed her neck.

 **Across** town, The Joker was sitting on his couch, nursing a glass of water, trying to come up with a reasonable explanation as to why Harleen had changed so much in the last year.

She used to be so light and refreshing, and he'd noticed quickly that, that was replaced with dread and the hallow shell of someone who used to have hope.

He figured five years of a worn down marriage would do that to someone.

He'd seen the flame in her die out and he hated her husband for doing that to her.

"Boss, you need anything?" Johnny asked him and he looked up at his friend.

"A good slap in the face should suffice." He rubbed his face and Johnny sat on the coffee table across from him and rested his elbows on his knees.

"J, what's wrong? Not askin' as your employee, I'm askin' as your friend." He told him.

J just sighed and shook his head, continuing to rub his face stressfully.

"You came back, now. You wanted to let her know you ain't have any problems with her moving on and you did. She knows you don't hate her and now . . . Now maybe it's time you move on." He suggested and J snapped his head up and grew bitter.

"What do you think I've been trying to do the last five years, huh? I tried moving on and I can't. It's no use. Not when every woman I see reminds me of her. Not when I imagine her in every dress or pair of heels I see while I'm walking by a shop. Not when I'm meeting my buddies wives and I'm envious because I should be introducing them to Harleen but I can't because she isn't mine anymore."

"J, that woman loves you. She might not be in love with you, but she still loves you. You were her first love. And Lewis fucking Dence ain't even a quarter of the man you are, and he never will be." J raised his brows at Johnny's strong language and chuckled.

"Sharp language, Frosty."

"Had to get my point across, Boss." He shrugged and Joker laughed, standing to go upstairs and get some rest.

{ _ **Flashback – 5 Years Ago**_ }

 _Harleen curled her lips into a smile and she continued down the stairs of her uncles mansion, her arm looped through Katherine's._

 _Many young officers of the military littered the living room, and outside and everywhere in between._

 _They were on weekend leave, and they'd be gone again._

 _Most all of them were rich, which is why her mother had invited them all over. A chance for Harleen to find someone suitable for her and eventually settle down._

 _But the one man who'd caught Harleen's eye wasn't rich, nor arrogant or selfish like the other men there were._

 _No. Jack Napier was far from it._

 _He was speaking to one of his friends when he saw the flash of blonde hair in the corner of his eye and when he glanced over and caught a look of her, it felt like the breath was knocked out of him._

 _She was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen in his life, aside from his mother of course, and he thought he was going to pass out._

 _"Uh," he interrupted his buddy, his eyes never leaving Harleen. "Excuse me." He pat his shoulder and walked to her. "Excuse me, miss, I don't believe I've formally introduced myself." He started, taking her soft hand in his. "I'm Jack Napier." He told her and Katherine and Harleen both blushed._

 _"H–Harleen Quinzel." She stuttered nervously when his lips pressed to the top of her hand. She captivated by how attractive he was in his uniform, with his clean shaved faced, dark hair and bright eyes. "This is my friend, Katherine."_

 _Katherine was staring much like Harleen._

 _"Hi," Katherine spoke nervously. He took her hand in his as well and did the same thing he did to Harleen. "I am going to go find my mother." Katherine told Harleen. "You two enjoy your evening."_

 _Harleen got bug eyed, giving Katherine an "I hate you" look because she was leaving her alone with him, and she didn't know how the hell to even start a conversation with such a gorgeous man._

 _"So, Mr. Napier, what brings you here?" She asked charmingly and he rubbed his lips together._

 _Hours later, the night had come to a close with Jack and Harleen chattering away in her uncles car that was parked outside right by the Azalea bushes._

 _They'd learned practically everything about each other, from birth up until that very moment._

 _He was completely charmed and obsessed with her lavish lifestyle, she was charmed and obsessed with his humble beginnings and then the two of them were completely infatuated with each other, and secretly swore in the back of their minds that they'd marry._

 _By the time Katherine interrupted them, it was time for Harleen to get in and get ready for bed._

 _But she promised Jack she'd see him again because she and her family were staying all summer at her uncles mansion._

 _And so he came back every weekend, and every day off._

 ** _3 Weeks Later_**

 _Jack tossed his bag into his car, grinning as he heard Harleen's loud shriek of excitement._

 _He turned around just in time to catch her as she wrapped her legs around his waist and crushed her lips to his._

 _"How's my Harley doin' huh?" He asked happily against her lips as she giggled and continued to pepper kisses on his cheeks and forehead._

 _"Even better now that her man's here to save her from her hectic, hell fire of a life." She sighed and he chuckled._

 _"That bad?" He raises his brows._

 _"Miserable." She pouts. "Exactly why it's a damn good thing I convinced mother to drag father and my uncle down to Florida for the entire weekend." She clicked her teeth and Jack picked up on what she was implying._

 _"Wwwweeelll . . . " he thinks for a moment. "That uh . . . Is a damn good thing." He decides aloud and she smiles even wider and presses one last kiss to his lips before hopping down and leading him into the house._

 _"Katherine's out and about, she'll be back shortly." She tells him calmly. "I'm getting a bath." She says next as they walk up to her room and she puts his bag on her bed. "You can help yourself to any food or drink around the house. I'll be out shortly." With that, she walked into her bathroom and shut the door._

 _The second he was alone, he started pacing, freaking out quietly._

 _"God, what am I gonna do? We can't do anything. She's not even nineteen yet, Jack. You can't take advantage of her like this." He argues with himself. "But she's so beautiful and-and-and oh, hell she's so tempting she, alone, is a sin." He rubbed his face in aggravation. "You can't do anything with her, Jack. You can't. She's too good for that. You treat her like a damn princess. Don't you dare let lust cloud your judgement. You hear me?" He continued to pace until he wasn't thinking of sex with her anymore._

 _That was until she came out in only a towel._

 _"I-I need to get something out of the pool house." She tells him. "Will you go with me? I don't like walking about the property alone." She explains and he gets wide eyed._

 _"Of course." He clears his throat nervously._

 _She only threw her silk robe over her body and tied it, and let the towel underneath the robe, hit the floor._

 _He averted his gaze from the towel and followed her down the stairs and outside._

 _The pool house, which was right by the pool, was practically a guest house. It had two bed rooms, a small kitchen and living room and even an upstairs room for storage._

 _"What do you need?" He asked her out of curiosity and she went to the living room and started digging around the couch._

 _"I lost a bracelet and I haven't been able to find it." She tells him. "Perhaps it's on top of the cabinet?" She raised a brow and grabbed one of the table chairs and stood on it._

 _He spotted her, making sure she didn't fall._

 _"Damn it, I can't find it." She huffed._

 _On her way down to get off the chair, she lost her footing and fell._

 _Instead of screaming or freaking out, she laughed wildly and fell right on top of Jack, on the floor._

 _"Oh, I'm so sorry!" She shot up from him, sitting up and staring at him. "Are you alright?" She asked him, piling him up and he winced a little at the small ache in his head as he sat on the couch, but other than that he was fine._

 _"It's okay." He assured her. "I'm fine."_

 _"I can get some ice—"_

 _"—Harleen," he interrupted her sternly. "I'm fine."_

 _She was lost in his gaze, but she nodded anyway._

 _The tension between them grew thicker and thicker and finally, Harleen couldn't stand it anymore._

 _She leaned forward and pressed a gentle, small kiss to Jack's lips._

 _It was easy at first, and calm, but before long, they were both craving more._

 _Their kiss turned heated and her arms wrapped around his neck as his snaked under her robe and wrapped around her bare skin._

 _She gasped, sparks shooting through her tummy and he pulled away._

 _"I'm sorry," he pulled his arms from under her robe, his face red with embarrassment._

 _In fact, he was so embarrassed and ashamed of himself, he moved to get up and leave but she gripped his arm and stopped him._

 _"Harleen, I have to go. I can't keep control—"_

 _"—Jack," she breathed out, managing to get him to sit by her again. "I love you." She licked her lips and he could already tell he wasn't going to be able to say no to her._

 _"Harleen," he whispered._

 _"I love you. I'm yours." She rested her forehead against his and closed her eyes._

 _"Harleen, I can't . . . We can't." He tried telling her but she wasn't having it. The more he tried to explain why they shouldn't, the more she pressed kisses to his neck, and the closer she got until she was finally straddling him, moving her hips into his. "Harley."_

 _"Jack," she ran her fingers through his hair and bit her full, bottom lip. "Take me." She breathed out and he cupped her face in his hands and stared at her._

 _"Harleen, this isn't something we need to do. What if you regret it? What if your mother finds out?"_

 _"I have been absolutely crazy about you since the moment I met you. I won't regret this. And if my mother finds out then oh well. She won't be the one living with you when we get married, I will." She chuckled and he was taken back a little. "What?"_

 _"You plan on marrying me?" He asked her and she nodded._

 _"Why wouldn't I be?" She furrowed her brows, completely confused._

 _He smiled and took the tie of her robe, kissing her passionately._

 _She shrugged it off her shoulders, baring her completely naked body to him and he stared at her, completely breath taken._

 _Without another word, he tangled his hand in her hair and gently pulled back on it, exposing her neck as she unbuttoned his shirt._

 _His teeth gently nipped at her skin and she ground into him, moaning lowly._

 _He moved her back on the couch, moving to wear he was on top of her._

 _She flushed red at the sight of him staring down at her chest, and even covered her face with her hands._

 _He found it adorable and kissed her forehead, moving her hands._

 _To prove that he thought she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, he pressed a warm, soft kiss to the top of one of her breast, and moved his mouth to envelope around her nipple, never breaking eye contact._

 _She moans louder, bucking her hips and he does the same to her other breast before he takes his mouth lower._

 _She's beyond tempted to close her legs and not let him see that part of her but he won't allow it._

 _Again, he stares and grins widely at her bright red face before he starts soft kisses on the tops her thighs and works his way to her inner thighs._

 _Her eyes snap open when he gets to his target and she puts a hand over her mouth to keep from disturbing the neighbors as he gently kisses her flesh while moving his finger in and out of her for the next few moments to warm her up._

 _She keeps her legs wide open for him as he sits up on his knees and unbuttons them. When he discards his pants and underwear, she gulps._

 _He was going to break her in half. She was sure of it._

 _He was hovering over her in no time and looked at her to make sure she was really ready for it._

 _When she nodded, he kissed her softly, hooked the back of her knee in the crook of his elbow, and eased into her as slowly as he could._

 _She groaned and whimpered in pain, squeezing her eyes shut and he kept still once he was fully in her._

 _After a few moments, she looked up at him with big, baby blue eyes and he pulled back gently and pushed back in._

 _Her nails bit into his muscular back, and her mouth tilted open around the sixth stroke when some of the uncomfortableness had subsided._

 _"Jack," she gasped, closing her eyes in immense pleasure as his tongue trailed up her collar._

 _"Hmm?" He asked, happy he was making her feel that way._

 _"Faster, please." Begged him, fisting the material of the couch in her hands. "Please go faster." She arched her back, and he put his hands on the couch arm that her head rested on and she wrapped her legs around his hips loosely as he picked up the pace. "Oh, damn." She whimpered. "Harder," she whispered and again, he obliged._

 _Her entire body moved with his. Each thrust made her toes curl and her mouth open in ecstasy. Every inch of his skin on hers felt like a pure fire and she prayed it'd swallow her._

 _He continued his pace and she got tighter and tighter, forcing him to go harder in order to be fully in her with each push._

 _His thrusts got rougher and her moans got louder, even a few curses slipped from her lips._

 _"I'm yours," she told him, her nails digging into his flesh as she gripped his muscular bicep. "My heart, my soul, my mind, my Body." She threw her head back and wrapped her legs tighter around him. "It's all yours. I'm all yours." She promised in a breathy, hushed moan before he saw her eyes roll to the back of her head and felt her convulsing around him._

 _She took fell breaths and wiped the sweat off her forehead before she realized he wasn't finished._

 _She grinned and pulled him flush against her, opening her legs as wide as she could._

 _He continued to take her as hard as he wanted and of course she never refused._

 _Once he was about to finish, she wrapped her legs around him again and severed his lip between her teeth as he finished in her._

 _"That was—"_

 _"—Harleen, I—Oh dear!" Katherine shrieked as Harleen and Jack jumped up and grabbed the blanket off the other chair and quickly tried to cover up. "—Sorry, I'll just talk to you later!" Katherine called as she kept her eyes closed and felt her way back to the door before leaving._

 _"Leave it to Katherine." Harleen rolled her eyes and Jack pressed another kiss to her cheek._

{ **Present** }

"Ohh," Lewis groaned, and rolled off Harleen.

She was almost finished, thinking of Jack, well, Joker, and her making love.

But once again, Lewis had just been there to get himself off and wasn't thinking about her pleasure.

Which is exactly why every time they had sex, if she even wanted to remotely come close to having a good time, she had to either imagine J or think of the amazing times they'd had in the pool house over the summer five years prior.


	9. Chapter Vlll

**Warning: Explicit Sexual Situations & Language **

**_Chapter Vlll_**

 ** _Anastasia_**

"Ana," Harleen walks into my room and I look up at her from my bed.

"Harleen? What on Earth are you doing in here? It's like 3 in the morning." I grumble and she crawls on the bed and stares at me wide eyed.

"I'm disturbed." She tells me gently.

"What are you going on about?" I sit up.

"Tell me I'm married. Tell me developing feelings for a man I used to love is wrong and completely idiotic. Tell me to stop." She pleads and I raise my brows.

"Harley—"

"—Anastasia." She snaps suddenly. "Tell me."

I sigh and rub my sleepy eyes.

"You are married. You've been married for five years, Harleen. You can't throw away your feelings for Lewis, you can't throw away what you feel for him, all for a man you used to know. He's not the same man. He's a criminal now. Your patient, actually. And even entertaining the possibility of having an affair with him is bizarre and entirely reckless." I state sternly.

She nods her head gently and looks down at her hands.

"You can love him, Harleen. It's okay to love him. I know you always will. But don't try to relive the past and hope for a better outcome. That's insanity at its finest." I add and she smiles a little at me.

"Thank you, Ana." She says gently. "Goodnight."

 **The** next morning, I awake to Harleen's wild laughter downstairs and I put my robe on and see what the noise is about.

I look like a mess, and I remember this when I see Johnny Frost standing in the kitchen in a nice suit as always.

"Ana, how nice of you to join us." Harleen pipes, handing me a mug of coffee.

I touch my hair and feel the nappy tangles catching in my fingers.

I inwardly hit myself for not making myself look presentable before coming downstairs.

"Harleen, you didn't tell me we were to have company."

"I didn't know we'd have company." She defends herself. "Lewis went out for a few rounds of golf and a lunch with the Mayor. Johnny came by to check up on us." She informs me and I look to Johnny.

"You concerned bastard." I comment and he tries to hold back his smile.

"Just doing my job." He responds and I roll my eyes.

"Where's J?" I ask him and he looks at Harley.

"He's in the car, waiting. We're about to go to a meeting he has with Falconi."

"Mm, I forget he's a gangster." I look directly as Harleen, silently telling her another reason why she shouldn't go after him.

"Surely he wants to speak with me." Harleen mentions and Johnny looks between us.

"Uh–I can go see." He offers.

"Thank you, Johnny." She smiles sweetly as he walks out.

"What the hell are you doing, Harleen?!" I whisper yell once he's gone.

"Not a damn thing wrong!" She replies, acting shocked that I'd have the audacity to accuse her of anything. "I just want my friend to say good morning to me." She shrugged.

"You want your attractive friend that you used to sleep with, to come inside so you can be a flirt." I correct her and she drinks her coffee.

"What does it matter to you anyway, huh?" She asks after a moment and I look around.

"Because you woke me in the dead of the night last night so I could remind you not to ruin your marriage."

She rolls her jaw and crosses her arms.

"Lewis has already ruined my marriage. What difference does it make if me and J have some fun?" Her tone's defensive.

"Because you'll be just like Lewis." I retort and she realizes it's true and closes her mouth before she says anything she'd regret.

Johnny and Joker walk into the kitchen, both of them picking up on the tension in the room.

Johnny gives me an odd glance and I shake my head slightly as Joker immediately goes to Harleen.

"So beautiful." He grins at her and I roll my eyes.

"Oh, please, I just got out of bed." She laughs and I clench my jaw.

"I'm getting dressed." I tell her sharply, slamming my mug on the counter before storming out.

When I get to my room, I go to slam the door but Johnny stops it with his foot.

I don't let him say a word before I start ranting.

"She's married and she knows good and damn well she's married and yet she's down stairs prancing around like the last five years haven't happened! Like that's the same man she screwed around with and fell in love with when everyone knows good and dam well he's not remotely close to the same man! He's insane, he's a criminal, he steps all over people to get to where he needs to be and he's a murdering, psychopathic, selfish, son of a bitch who lacks morals and basic respect!" I shout and Johnny stays quiet until I'm finished. "My cousin has a PhD and MD and she's still stupid enough to believe this man, this-this home-wrecking lunatic, actually has feelings for her! He's crazy! When the hell do narcissists care about other people?!" I drop my robe and he averts his eyes to the floor while I change from my silk nightie to my day dress. "I'm sorry, Johnny, alright? I know he's your friend and maybe you know a side of him that I don't but right now that man is confusing enough as is, let alone when he's wrapping himself around my cousin like a snake." I plop down at my vanity like an angry child and start working through my hair with my brush.

In the process of yanking air out, Johnny runs his hand over my shoulder and moves my hair to one side, pressing his lips to the exposed skin.

I take deep breaths and calm down, smiling very small at him in the mirror.

"I've had the same conversation with him that you've probably had with her. We've told them what they should and shouldn't do and that's all we can do. That's as far as we can go in regards to prevent it from happening. They ain't children, they're grown. He's gonna do exactly what he wants and so is she. And if that means going against us and actin' like fools then so be it. We tried warning them, didn't we?"

I nod at him and he smiles.

"Alright then. We tried our best. You tried your best, and that's all anyone could ask for. That's all that matters." He assures me, kissing my hair. "Oh, you still got a knot right here." He points out to the back of my hair.

I groan, aggravated and he takes the brush from my hand and laughs, gently working on getting it out.

 ** _Third Person_**

J and Harleen had wondered to the living room, and Harleen mentioned quite deliberately that Lewis was gone.

"How long will he be away?" He asked subtly and she looked at him.

"All day I assume." She shrugged.

"I thought he was just eating lunch?" He picked up a book of the book case and opened it, seeing no words on the pages.

"Oh, yes, I'm sure he is. I'm also sure if we go downtown this instant, we'll find the mayor sitting in his office." She scoffs. "He thinks he's deceiving me, like I'm that stupid."

"I'll take care of him, one day." He mumbles and turns to face her where she sits on the couch. "Where'd they get off to?"

"Ana's upstairs pouting. I assume Johnny's up there trying to reason with her. But she's awfully stubborn. I hope he knows he's wasting his time." She rolls her eyes and J laughs at how hypocritical she's being.

He knew good and well Harleen was just as stubborn.

"I think those two are getting pretty hot and heavy." He comments and she thinks a moment.

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, it's pretty damn obvious he'd do just about anything for her." He explains, turning to face the book case again.

"Well, he better be good to her or I'll kill him." She jokes and J shuts the book loudly and looks at her over his shoulder.

"Don't get my hopes up like that, Harleen." He tells her.

"I don't know what you—"

"—Just don't go around saying stuff like that unless you mean it. You wouldn't hurt a fly."

"Of course I wouldn't." She agrees.

"And you certainly would never murder anyone, right?"

He steps to her slowly, like an animal stalking its prey.

She stands, growing defensive that he'd even ask her something like that.

"Of course I would never do that, J. What're you getting at with this?" She snaps and he looks down at her and grins.

"So you'd never kill anyone, not even for me?" His hands hold her face, her blue eyes stare up at his.

She realizes what he's getting at now. And though she wants to be able to say she loves him so much she'd kill just to keep him, she knows it's deep water she's treading in and she's not sure about making any kind of promises that she knows she might not be able to keep. Especially not to a man like him; someone who tortures people when they lie to him, or tell him something he doesn't want to hear.

"We can't do this, J." She whispered shallowly. He wasn't listening, he couldn't. Not when her lips were only centimeters away from his. Not when all he could think about was damning his fucking consequences and getting his way.

That's how he'd gotten by the past five years. So why not do that now?

"I can do what I want to." He replies in the same tone and she looks up at him, feelings her heart beat increase dramatically.

"You—No you can't." She let out a nervous laugh. "I'm a married woman. We can't just go back to how it was five years ago and start over." She furrowed her brows.

"Who the hell said anything about going back five years, eh? Living in the past is beyond taboo, I would never. I'm talking about here and now. This moment."

"So am I and I'm saying nothing can happen." Her tone is stern and he chuckles. "Nothing is funny about this. Absolutely nothing so why the hell are you laughing?"

"You're adorable." His smile fades to a sneer and she feels fear shoot up her spine as his fingers trail up and down the skin of it.

"J," she manages through quick breaths. "Get out."

His expression twists evilly and his grip around her waist loosens and he takes a step back, his hands up in surrender.

"My apologies, Mrs. Dence." He raises his brows before he turns to walk away.

"J," she follows him, gently grasping his wrist as he gets to the door.

He snaps around, grabs her throat and shoves her against the door.

Her head spins from hitting the door and he smiles sinisterly at her.

She chokes, gasping for air as his grip gets tighter and tighter; her hands trying to pry his off her throat.

When she realizes struggling isn't helping, she relaxes. Her eyes bare into his and he curls his lip like a hungry wolf.

Suddenly, her hands shoot out and pull him to her. The gentle kisses they shared when they'd first met were no longer relevant.

Gentle wasn't relevant.

It's all teeth, tongue and hands as he lets go of her throat and tugs her hair down from its pins.

That isn't enough for either of them.

Her body's practically on fire with different emotions, she was confused, but that didn't stop her from gasping his name when he picked her up and her legs wrapped around his waist.

His lips went to her neck and she tangled her hands in his hair.

"J," she breathed heavily, her head racking with a million thoughts. "We can't do this." She says but he doesn't stop, and she doesn't want him to.

Instead, he carries her to the spare bed room downstairs and kicks the door open, his her lips on his again.

He drops her on the bed and she immediately starts pulling on her dress.

When it's off, she tosses it aside and he stares down at her, his jaw slack.

Her red and black lace bustier and matching panties that didn't leave much to the imagination were practically taunting him.

It only hit him for a moment that he was about to sleep with another man's wife, in his own home . . . He brushed it off quickly, laughing about it to himself.

His laugh strangle reassured Harleen and she stood on her knees and pushed his suit coat over his shoulders and it fell behind him.

She calmed, taking deep breaths, trying to come up with a reasonable explanation in case her and J were caught.

Her hands ran up the expensive, soft fabric of his shirt and she slowly unbuttoned it, kissing every inch of newly exposed skin that led up to his neck and his hands undid her bustier.

Both his shirt and the lingerie were discarded at the same time.

She was fascinated with his paper white skin.

It was littered with tattoos that he hadn't had when they were together years ago.

She knew he had one close to his neck because she'd seen small peeks of it where some of it wasn't covered by his collar, but now she saw he had more than a few.

His muscles had grown as well.

He was lean back then, but now his chests, abdominals, and arms were packed with thick muscle.

It made her realize further that he could kill her at any moment. But she didn't care.

His hand rests on one side of her neck as he pulls her to him again.

Her chest presses against him and his hand wanders from her neck to her lower back, pulling her flush against him.

Her hands are on his belt next and just as she gets the buckle undone, his teeth sink into her bottom lip.

She moans, side tracked. He gets impatient and finishes what she started, getting rid of what's left of his clothing.

Now her panties are the only piece of clothing between them and he pushes her back to the bed harshly and she falls on her back, breathless as he snags the thin, skimpy material from her.

When that's done, he smiles deviously at her and she closes her eyes a moment, collecting what little thoughts of protest she had left.

"J _,_ I can't . . . We can't." She told him weakly and he looked down at her.

"I want this." He told her sternly and she sighed.

"J _,_ this isn't something we need to do. What if you regret it?" She thought aloud and he laughed.

"I have been absolutely crazy about you since the moment I met you. I won't regret this. And if your mother finds out then oh well. She won't be the one living with me when we get married, You will." He told her lowly and she recalled herself telling him that, the first time they'd had sex and she laughs beautifully and pulls him down to kiss her.

He positioned himself at her entrance and pushed himself in.

Her toes curled and she moaned loudly, arching her back as he stretched her.

"Oh, god, J." She took deep breaths and he rested his forehead on hers, trying to control himself from pounding her into the next week. "I forgot how . . . " her chest heaved against him with each breath she took, and she couldn't find the words to finish. " . . . You were." She bit her lip, closing her eyes and he balled his fist up by her hair, gritting his teeth as her walls clenched and relaxed around him, trying to accommodate to his girth. "I'm fine." She tried telling him.

"I don't think you're prepared for this, Harleen." He grinned through shut teeth.

She knew he was trying to be as gentle as he could with her and it was getting on her nerves.

"Oh, for the love of everything good in the world." She rolled her eyes and caught him off guard, flipping them over, forcing his length deeper into her and she shrieked, her nails digging into his chest.

"Told you," he sighed, his eye lids low as pure pleasure shot through the both of them.

"I-I don't think I can—" she tried moving up on him, but was instantly paralyzed by the amazing feel of him in her and they both groan. "J, I can't."

"Then why'd you get on top?" He asked frustrated and she whimpered when he moved a little under her, igniting more nerves in her core.

"Because I've been on top with Lewis before and —"

"— First rule, no mentioning your husband while I'm in you." He ordered her. "Next thing, I'm not Lewis. I'm a lot to take in at one time and guess what? If you get on top, I expect you to be able to handle it."

"Well I obviously can't so just—ah!" She screamed suddenly as he lifted her off of him and back down roughly. "J, I can't . . . " She threw her head back, bracing her hands on his chest. "Yes! Oh, god, yes, J." She put her hands over his and after a moment, he stopped and she continued to move up and down on him.

After a moment, she started grinding on him back and fourth and he grinned up at her and snapped up.

He wrapped his muscular arms around her waist and pressed his lips to the center of her chest as she continued to move on him.

Her fingers snaked through his hair and she sighed.

Her hands found his back, and her nails dug into his flesh and scratched from the center of his shoulder blades to his collar bone and she felt an odd sense of satisfaction seeing blood forming in the scratches.

He growled, his release building up and she was in the same place.

When her back hit the mattress he shoved further into her at a rapid pace, making her arch and scream out.

Her release washed over her within a minute and he followed, spilling into her.

They both gasped for breath, staring at each other.

She couldn't find with words to say, and he didn't want her to say a damn thing anyway.

So they keep their mouths shut and recover from their highs. Another gentle kiss is pressed to her clavicle and she feels sleepiness wash over her.


	10. Chapter lX

**Chapter lX**

 ** _Harleen_**

"We can't keep doing this." I state as I raise a brow, sighing.

J looks at me, a blank expression on his face. He finishes pulling his pants on.

"Why do you say that?"

"My husband's getting suspicious, J. If he finds out, he'll have you arrested."

"And I'll have him killed." He growls.

"He's my husband, J." I argue and he scoffs.

"Yeah, trust me, I know. You remind me all the damn time." He grumbles under his breath.

"J, it's the truth. I am a married woman—"

"—I'm aware of that, Harleen. But I'm also aware of the fact that me and you aren't just friends, anymore, now are we?" He points out and I sit up, keeping the sheet over my chest.

"I don't know what we are. But I know what I am." I state harshly and he looks at me over his shoulder.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" He goes back to putting his shoes on and I cross my arms.

"I'm a doctor. I have my MD, I'm one of the few women actually working in that Asylum, and I'm very successful. I have a husband with more money than god, who has a career that doesn't require him to kill people to get to where he is and I'm rather happy about it." I continue. He doesn't stop dressing once. It's as if he didn't hear what I'd said. "But here I am, rolling around in the bed sheets with my own patient, a criminal at that. And I often catch myself thinking 'what the hell are you doing?'" I chuckle without humor. "And I still don't know the answer to that question."

He pulls his button up shirt over his arms, and starts buttoning it.

His back and shoulder muscles rippled with each movement and I take a moment to admire him.

I feel like a child who'd just walked into a candy store. I always feel that way about him. It isn't just the sex, I genuinely believe he makes me feel like myself. I don't have to wear the pretty little fake smile I put on for everyone to keep them happy, I don't have to be a lady and sit cross legged. I don't have to be anything for him to want me. And it's liberating.

I get up on my knees and crawl to him clumsily, wrapping my arms around his neck, resting my forehead against his hair.

"I love you." I tell him lowly. "But we can't keep doing this."

"So we tell them." He says and I squeeze my eyes tighter and grind my teeth.

"Yes, we tell them." I mumble. "We tell them Doctor Harleen Quinzel slept with her patient, cheated on her husband, ruined her career and reputation and committed social suicide. We tell them she won't have a life, or a husband, or money. We tell them she's going to be thrown in the first penitentiary possible and lose everything." I say it bitterly and he turns to face me, an almost piteous look on his face as he cups my face in his hands.

"Oh, Harls, you won't lose everything." He assures me sweetly before his face twists to something sinister and aggravated. "You'll still legally have your M.D."

With that, he gets up and gathers his things.

"I'll see ya later, Kid." He tells me, giving me a quick peck on the lips before leaving.

Ana runs into him as he's leaving and my eyes look down in shame as she looks over me.

"Harleen," she says lowly and I shake my head.

"I don't wanna hear it, Ana." I get up, throwing my robe on, going to the kitchen to get some coffee.

"You're sleeping with another man. And I'm sorry, but fornicating in the guest bedroom doesn't make it any less horrific." She states and I roll my eyes.

"Lewis does the same thing to me, Ana. In fact," I look at the clock. "He's most likely giving it to _her_ right now. And The fact he doesn't do it in this house doesn't make it any less horrific." I mock her, pouring the coffee into a mug.

"Harleen, don't stoop to his level."

"I'm not stooping. In order for me to stoop, I'd have to be doing exactly what he's doing: run around with worthless pieces of gutter trash I find downtown on the street corner and hump them in some run down motel that reeks of over-priced generic Cigars, and unclean female genitalia." She wrinkles her nose at the image I placed in her mind. "But I'm not doing that. I'm not stooping at all. J is beyond, beyond, the man that Lewis will ever be. He doesn't pay for 'top notch' whores or settle for street rat scented hussies. Nor does he disrespect me or treat me like I'm stupid. And he's not greedy during sex either. So no, I'm not stooping. And being that I've spent five years of my life being treated like a child, spit up and chewed out, taken for granted, played a fool and pushed around, by my own husband, I think I deserve some fun with the man I should've married, damnit. So," I yank a cigarette from the cupboard. "please do me and J both a favor and piss out of our business. I understand you're worried, but I'm a grown woman. I don't need my baby cousin telling me who I can and can't sleep with." I light it and take a deep breath, inhaling the smoke. It calms me immensely and I feel myself relax a little.

She's staring at me blankly.

"I just don't want you or J getting in trouble, is all." She explains to me and I sigh.

"I understand that, Ana. But you have to understand and trust that we know very well what the risks are. We understand the consequences of our actions if we're found out. And we're willing to take those consequences if it means we get to be together. I love you, and I appreciate you looking out for us. But we can handle it. We're adults." I assure her.

"As long as you know what you're doing." She mumbles.

"I do." I mutter, taking another drag of my cigarette.

 ** _Anastasia_**

I leave Harleen alone, walking up to my bedroom.

I see a letter on my bed and I furrow my brows, seeing my name written in a handwriting I don't recognize.

I pick it up and look over it, sitting on my bed.

 _Anastasia,_

 _I will be hosting a party tomorrow night at one of my mansion. I need you to bring Lewis and Harleen. Don't worry about me getting caught and turned in to the police, I have that part covered._

 _—J_

I raise my brow and think a moment. Was it worth it? Was any of this worth it? I was helping my cousin cheat on her husband.

My stomach knots up nervously and I take a deep breath and think a moment.

When I hear the front door opening, announcing Lewis's arrival home, I get to my feet and go downstairs.

"Lewis," I wave him down and he looks at me.

"Hmm?"

"Are you busy tomorrow night?" I ask him and he looks down at me.

"No, why?"

"Darling, how was work?" Harleen kisses him.

"I've been invited to a party tomorrow night."

"By who?" He asks and I glance at Harleen.

"That doesn't matter." I reply.

"Tell me it wasn't that tattered, pathetic, reck you were tangled up with at the last party we were at."

"Oh, Lewis, please. She'd never associate with one of your other women." Katherine pops out from the kitchen and Harleen shoots her a look.

Lewis throws a threatening glare at Katherine, who looks at me and smirks.

"I for one would love to go. There's no such thing as too much partying." She tells us.

"Hmm," Lewis scoffs. "The elasticity of what's between your legs, says otherwise."

Katherine looks offended, about to throw something back at him, but Harleen intervenes.

"Oh, will you two stop it?!" She barks. "You're acting like children!"

Lewis and Katherine remain silent, ashamed of their behavior. Well, Katherine is. Lewis probably could care less.

"Now, Hadlynn wants us to go to this party. So, since we've dragged her all over this city ever since she's been here, I think it's only fair we go to something she wants to attend, for once." My cousin obviously doesn't have an idea whose party this will be. Not that she would care knowing it was Joker's.

"Fine," Lewis huffs, giving me almost an evil eye. "I'll send for a new pair of dancing shoes. Mine are getting worn out." He grumbles, going up the stairs.

Harleen looks almost sad, sitting down on the couch, taking another cigarette from inside her robe pocket, lighting it with a lighter from on the coffee table.

"That man is something else entirely." Katherine says as she plops down beside her.

"He would cut his own foot off if it meant he'd have one more minute to be in _her_ company. But god forbid the man have to spend a night out with his family." Harley takes a deep breath, tears threatening to spill over her eyes.

Katherine and I look at one another, knowing why he was so hostile towards her lately.

He was growing suspicious of her. He didn't know Joker was the one she was seeing . . . But he suspected she was seeing someone.

We sit in silence until she finishes her cigarette.

"I need a new dress," she speaks aloud. "Lewis spilled Liquor all over my favorite one when we got in the car and he couldn't keep his hands to himself, and the stain never came out."

"Which one? The one from the liquor or the one from his bodily fluids?" Katherine asks, fascinated in her nails.

Harleen hits her gently.

"Liquor. Point is," she stands. "I need a new dress. You wanna come with me, Ana? I'll get you a snazzy little number, too." She grins, her eyebrows raised.

"I suppose." I nod and she squeals.

"Oh, wonderful. Let me get ready to look presentable." She rushes up the stairs and me and Katherine are left alone.

"It's his party, isn't it?" She asks quietly and I nod slowly.

"That whole situation is going to tear Harleen a part. That's not the same man. I don't think she understands that." She continues.

"I've trie talking her out of it." I state and she nods.

"Sounds about right. Harleen does what she wants, when she wants, with who she wants." She stands, brushing her dress off. "Still, _any_ man is better for her than Lewis is. You mark my words when I tell you that."

 ** _Joker_**

I still hear her moans in my ear, I still feel her lips against my skin, her legs drawn around my hips, keeping me close to her . . . I'm sitting down at my desk, nursing a glass whiskey, my body itching with excitement.

Ana had just called to tell me they were coming tomorrow night.

I look up at Johnny, who's standing with his hands in his pockets, waiting for some instruction.

"Johnny," I raise my brows and he looks at me, paying attention. "We need booze for tomorrow night." I tell him. "Lots of it."

"Got it, boss." He heads to the door.

"Wait," I pull the neatly folded piece of paper out of my pocket. "I need you to go to the Jewelers, not the cheap one on 23rd, the real classy one, uptown. Tell them I want this custom made, by tomorrow night. I'll pay them whatever they want, just tell them to make it happen." I hand him the piece of paper with an intricate sketch of a beautiful jewelry piece on it.

"Got it, Boss. Be back in a few minutes."

With that, he leaves and I finish my drink.

A wicked, hilarious plan drifts into my mind and I smile. The utter realization that my original plans were starting to fall into place makes me chuckle deeply, which turns to cackling, which then turns to me laughing so hard, I'm bent at the waist with tears in my eyes.


	11. Chapter X

**Warning: Explicit Language/Sexual Situations**

 **Chapter X**

 ** _Anastasia_**

"Johnny, hold my coat for a moment," I tell him gently and he takes it off my shoulders as I rush to Harleen and Lewis.

"Ana, don't run; you look desperate." Lewis scolds me and I scoff.

"I am desperate. For a drink." I roll my eyes. "Now, I need to have a word with your wife if you'd be so kind." I pull Harleen aside and he huffs out air, continuing his way inside the grand mansion.

"What's wrong, Ana?" Harleen lowers her voice and I rub my red lips together.

"What exactly do you plan on doing tonight?" I ask her and she looks confused.

"What are you—"

"—You're not telling him tonight, are you?" I ask next and she gives me a look.

"Certainly not. Are you crazy? Telling him here would cause a full on brawl in front of all of these highly respected and sophisticated people. Absolutely not." She twists her face.

"I'm just making sure you don't do anything brash." I shrug.

"Sweetie, I'm already sleeping with The Joker. I doubt there's anything much more brash than that." She pats my jaw with her finger tips and walks past me.

Johnny holds his arm out to me and I sigh, taking it.

"This isn't going to end well, is it?" I mumble to him and he looks down at me.

"Deep breaths, Anastasia. We just have to get through tonight." He replies with a smile.

"And tomorrow and the next day and the next day and the next." I raise a brow.

"Maybe not. J plans on telling Lewis very, very soon." He informs me and my mouth falls.

"And how the hell does he expect to do that? 'I'm sleeping with your wife'?"

"You ask entirely way too many questions. You ever just pluck the corn Cobb from your ass and not worry so damned much? You and Harleen both are so boring." He shakes his head.

"I do not have a corn Cobb up my ass." I state, offended. "And there's nothing wrong with it if I did. It means I'm being cautious. And cautious is good."

"It's also boring." He argues.

"You're boring." I hiss and he gives a smug look.

"Not what you said when I—"

"—Don't you dare finish that sentence, Johnny Frost." I raise my voice sternly.

"I was gonna say 'when I took you out to lunch' but your mind is obviously somewhere filthy." He smirks. "Like your mouth was last ni—" I hit his arm and he stops, grinning widely.

"I don't have time for your games, Miss. I have to go make sure my boss doesn't get himself killed on accord of your hellbent cousin." He tells me, quickly kissing my cheek before leaving my side to rush inside.

I catch up with Harleen and hook my arm in hers.

"This place is beyond too busy." Lewis comments. "Who the hell would spend so much money on a place this ridiculous looking, anyway?" He grumbles as we walk past an explicit sculpture of a naked woman.

"Someone who can afford it, obviously." Harleen's tone is gentle, but it's still an obvious jab at Lewis' ego.

"And just how can this cat afford to blow his money on such an extravagant house?" Lewis asks next and she glances at him.

"He's an Entrepreneur." She replies innocently.

"Where the hell did he go to business school?" He snaps.

"Harvard." She shoots back.

"With what money?"

"He comes from a rich family, Lewis. For god sakes cut the man a break." She snaps, obviously offended by Lewis' nonstop hatred of her lover.

"He's merely a man." He mumbles under his breath and she shoots him a death glare. "He's a criminal." He explains harshly. "And I need a drink."

He stomps off, leaving us to ourselves.

"He's completely disgusting." She frowns. "I'll have a much better night once he stops being so damned jealous."

"You're sleeping with the man he can't stand. He has a reason to be jealous, Harley." I comment quietly and she turns to face me.

"He doesn't know I'm doing that, though. And he isn't going to find out." She seethes threateningly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I wanna dance."

She walks away from me, and slicked back, green hair catches my eye.

He's dressed in a sharp black suit, making his way to Harleen, who's downing a drink.

I feel guilty, knowing she's having an affair, knowing it's wrong. But at the same time, Lewis is no better. So I keep my mouth shut, pluck a brandy from a tray and sip on it. Watching Harleen and J talk lowly to one another.

 ** _Harleen_**

"Excuse me, ma'am," I hear a familiar voice hit my ears and I turn, seeing J.

"Sir." I nod, smiling smugly.

"If you don't mind, when you finish your drink, dancing with me?" He nods to the mass of people already making the best of the upbeat jazz music.

"What if I don't feel like dancing?" I raise a brow.

"I have other things we can go do." He suggests smoothly and I'm tempted to take him up on the offer.

"As amusing as that sounds," I take another swig of my whiskey. "my husband is here. And what kind of wife would I be if I ran off with another man?" I cock my head.

I see something sadistic run through his eyes and he rolls his jaw.

"The same kind of wife the married woman who just ran off with your husband is." He glances over my shoulder and I look to see Lewis wandering off with some woman.

Anger and disappointment make my heart heavy and I look at J.

"C'mon," he grabs my hand, and we walk up the stone stairs of the mansion and he pulls me inside.

"Now, I'll walk around with you and we can talk and be silly you want. But I am not making love while I'm here with my husband." I whisper and he stops, trapping me against a wall.

"That's not what I intended, Harleen." He looked mad that I said anything about it. "Ya know I'm not just foolin' around with you because of what's between your legs, right?"

"Well the physical attraction in our relationship has played a Major part of whatever it is we have going on." I argue and he licks his lips.

"You don't like the physical part—"

"—I do love it." I interrupt him. "But emotions are good, too." I add.

"Okay, then how about we head up to my room and talk about our emotions?" He runs his knuckles down my cheek and I smile a little and nod.

 **T** here wasn't much talking at all.

I knew there wouldn't be.

The second we walked into the room, and he gave me that look that he knows gets me going, I knew it was all damned to hell.

When he tried to pretend he didn't intentionally give me the look by trying to start the deep conversation about our feelings and emotions and fate, I couldn't think of doing anything else but kissing every inch of his body.

When he licked his lips and used that, low, mesmerizing tone of voice, it sent something wild through my veins.

He'd taken my hands in his and went on and on about how we were meant to be and what not.

It was all lies, he was lying. I knew he was. But I wasn't paying attention anyway. All I could do was concentrate on how his body moved under his suit. How his muscles rippled when he breathed.

My mouth was watering by the time he rubbed my lip gently and gave me that charming smile.

I felt my body tense as he planted a innocent kiss on my cheek. And when it was my turn to say what I needed, I didn't say anything at all.

I just lunged at him like some desperate animal.

Which got me nowhere but my face planted in the tangled up sheets as J pounded into me from behind.

I had to bite the damn things to keep from screaming out my pleasure.

The only noise was him groaning, and our flesh slapping together.

We'd started out with him on top of me, gently "making love" to me.

That was fun, but I got the boring, vanilla, same old same old, from Lewis.

So I practically told J not to "make love" to me. Or even fuck me. But _own_ me.

That was when he flipped me over and started drilling into me.

My dress was pushed up my back, his hands were digging into my hips.

We've had our fair share of sloppy and rough. But this time was different. It actually hurt, he was making it hurt, but in the best way possible.

By the time he finishes, we're both too damned exhausted to legitimately talk about anything too heavy.

. . . But thinking about my husband downstairs, whether he's with another woman or not, makes me feel guilty beyond compare.

"I–I'm cheating on my husband." I whisper lowly, tears making their way to my eyes.

He looks at me from where he's laying beside me, and blinks, rolling his jaw as if he's thinking.

He goes to open his mouth when there's a rough jiggling of the door knob and a loud banging of a fist.

Me and J look at each other with furrowed brows, and my blood freezes when I hear the loud, gruff, intimidating voice of Lewis from the other side as he yells:

"Harleen, get the fuck out here!"

 **Hey guys I'm so sorry for the wait. There's been something kinda heavy on my chest lately and I'm kinda scared to admit it aloud but I've been seeing on Tumblr that a lot of people are feeling this way in the fandom so I think it's time for me to address the inevitable that is the fandom getting bored.**

 **I hate this, and it makes me sad, but we knew it was coming.**

 **Remember back in April of 2015 when all of this started up big time and for 2 years now we've been dedicated and anxiously waiting for more, but the truth is, after Suicide Squad came out, the excitement and enthusiasm started dying down more and more slowly. And it's this part that I think everyone in every fandom dreads.**

 **Let's be honest, JxHQ fans are in a fucking drought. The Justice League fans, and Wonder Woman fans are in the phase we were in for a year and a half.**

 **And I'm not gonna lie, I'm salty as hell about it because I miss the excitement that came everytime a new photo was released, or even an interview of one of the cast members came out and they talked about it briefly, came out.**

 **And the truth is, we ain't got that right now. We have to wait for god knows how many years, but the people who're hard core for Justice League and it's members are gonna be constantly excited because there's JL member movies branching off the movie.**

 **And because we're waiting, with little to no more news or inspiration, it's hard for writers and even the fans, to stay in the fandom.**

 **IM NOT LEAVING. AND IM NOT GONNA STOP WRITING. But if you are wondering why it's getting harder for me to update, it's because I have to flip over rocks on Tumblr until I find a photo or video to spark up my motivation and inspiration.**

 **I love y'all, thank you for being patient. And if you're feeling kinda sad that the fandom ain't what it used to be, just hang in there. Something will happen and it'll light the fire all over again.**


	12. Chapter Xl

**A/N: Surprise you guys! I have been on a writing role! I just want to give a shout out to royalflushgang. She's actually one of the main reasons I've had the sudden inspiration to write another chapter for this. She recommended this story for someone on tumblr and it made me so happy that I couldn't let you guys down again for waiting a long ass time to update. And I'd just like to dedicate this to her because since the first time I wrote she's always been so real with me and I know I have written chapters where she's gone "What the fuck Donna" (not in a good way) and she calls me out on it (in a respectful way). I mean all of you are very good at doing that. You're all why I write, and she's always kept me on track and kept me motivated and she's truly a huge reason why I aspire to be the best writer I can be. She's very outspoken, she's quick to call me out on something and she keeps it real asf with me. She's always pushed me since day one to acknowledge my mistakes and learn from them. So I just have to give her a fucking round of applause for being brutally honest and vocal yet very sweet and respectful at the same time. I know it all comes from a place of just wanting me to get better and better as a writer and those are the best readers/fellow authors to have backing you up, so thanks fam, I fucking love you for all of it.**

* * *

 ** _Chapter Xl_**

 ** _Harleen_**

I fix my hair and put on my shoes as J yanks his cloths on and rushes to the bathroom to hide.

"Lewis," I open the door, my face twisted. "What's the matter?" I ask him.

He shoves past me.

"Where is it?"

"Where's what?" I ask gently.

He shuts the door, pacing.

"The money I had put in the safe at the house. Where is it?"

"I—It's in the safe." I tell him.

"No it's not! I had $100,000 saved up in that safe, sweetheart, that was my investment money and now I can't find it!" He shouts angrily.

"I haven't touched the money, Lewis." I assure him.

"If you haven't then who has?" He barks. "The maids don't have it. So that leaves you, Ana, and Katherine."

"Now, don't you dare go blaming either of them." I defend cousin and my best friend. "They would never steal that much money. Where would they even put it?"

"I don't know. All I know is that I had $100,000 when I left last week and now it's all gone. So unless you've had someone over and didn't tell me about it, it has to be either Katherine or Ana." He tells me sternly. "Find it. Or else."

He doesn't question why I'm in a bed room. He doesn't care. He just walks out, slamming the door.

I huff out a sigh and turn to see J come out of the bathroom.

"He doesn't even care." I hiss, throwing my shoe at a mirror, cracking it. "And that $100,000 is mine. My money that I worked hard for. And he wants to spend it on gambling?!" I shout. "Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot all he does is screw hussies and play golf. He's almost gambled all his inheritance away so now he's feeding off his wife's inheritance, instead and wasting her hard earned money on drinks and gambling because god forbid he get a fucking job! But the world can't know that I'm the breadwinner in our house because there goes his pride if it gets out. So I can't take credit for the majority of our money." I laugh without humor. "God that selfish son of a bitch." Tears rim my eyes.

"Harleen," I feel J's warm hand clasp on my shoulder and I shake him off.

"Don't touch me." I turn to face him.

"Harley," he says sternly and I close my eyes, tears rolling down my cheeks.

"What's the point, J? You're just another Lewis." I grit through my teeth before turning to leave him alone. He grabs me, shoving me against the door, keeping me trapped there.

He's angry, his breathing is heavy and ragged and his eyes are a forest fire.

"Don't ever, ever, compare me to that bastard again, Harleen." He growls darkly. "I'm not him. I'm not remotely close to him. And you know that. You just don't want to admit that you love another man more than you love your own husband." His words hit me hard and I breathe out. "I know you love me, deep down, but I'm tired of hiding and being secretive. You need to tell Lewis what's going on."

"I—It takes an act of congress to divorce, J. I can't tell him because he'll—"

"He'll what?" He furrows his brows. "Want a divorce? Hit you? Report me? Have us both arrested? You'll lose your job and your family and you think I won't suffer at all because I got nothing to lose, right?"

"I never said that, but . . . " I can't even finish.

"Harley." He cups my cheek, his thumb running over my lips. "We're a team. If you lose everything, I lose everything. I know there's a lot at stake for you, I get that. But you have to come clean at some point, baby. We can't keep this to ourselves forever."

"Well, what if we could? Would you?" I ask, a little too hopefully.

His face falls a little.

"Don't tell anybody." He says as he shrugs. "I don't even give a fuck anymore what you want to do, Harleen. You just come find me whenever you're in need of some descent sex." He steps away from me, pushes me away from the door and storms out.

After a few minutes, I head down stairs, my eyes meet Johnny's as he walks over to me.

"What the hell did you say to the Boss?" He asks lowly and I cock my head.

"What?"

"He's not really being himself, Harley." He comments and I follow his gaze to see J downing shots, laughing immensely at something that's probably not that funny.

"He looks like himself to me." I reply, a little ticked off at him.

"You just don't get it, do you?" He asks me and I look up at him.

"There's a lot about that man that I don't get, Johnny." I sigh aloud. "But there's a lot about me that he doesn't get, either."

"Where's Ana?" He asks me and I look around, not seeing her.

"I'm not sure."

I leave him to go find her, and I step down the steps of the back porch and weave through the people to see she's speaking to Lewis.

I approach them, and my husband raises his brow.

"Sweetie, there you are. I was just telling Anastasia about how you managed to lose $100,000." He looks at my cousin and she gives me a tight smile.

"Yes, how foolish of me, dear." I agree with him, just so he'll shut up about it.

"I just realized, we've been here all night and we haven't danced once." He finishes his drink and grabs my hand.

My cousin looks at me as if she pity's me and I wave her off, letting her know things could be worse.

There's slow, smooth jazz playing and Lewis wraps an arm around my waist, holding my other hand in his.

"I'm sorry I got all stirred up earlier," He whispers in my ear and I can't help but melt into him, taking his apology seriously.

"It's fine. I'm sorry I lost the money. I promise I'll find it when we get back, Darling." I assure him and he chuckles.

"We'll find it together, it'll be fine." He runs his thumb across my chin. "Can I see that beautiful smile now?"

I blush a little, but the corners of my mouth pull upwards and he smiles back, happy.

"There we go." He leans in to kiss me and I pull away a little bit, guilt building up in me.

"Wait, Lewis, I - "

I stop, seeing J staring at us in the corner of my eye.

"What's wrong?" Lewis asks me, a little worried.

I stare at J, anger and hurt laced through his stare. I just shake my head at him and press my lips to Lewis'.

When we pull away from one another, I look back to see that J's no longer there.

"I love you." He tells me, resting his forehead against mine.

I sigh, not able to handle the guilt I feel anymore.

"I'm sleep - "

"Excuse me," J's voice hits my ears and me and Lewis snap around. "I was just going to ask you about that lunch we had planned?" He ignores me, looking at my husband.

"Ah, yes," Lewis replies, a little confused as to why he even wants to eat lunch with us. "Tomorrow would be a good time, wouldn't it, Harleen?" Lewis asks me and I look at J.

I know Lewis would rather die than go eat lunch with The Joker. But I also know he wants to find out more about him, pick at his mind and figure out the kind of man he really is. But little does he know, that's also what J's the best at doing.

"Yes, it would." I look at J directly and he only acknowledges me with a little nod.

"Just grand. Please, enjoy the rest of the party, I'll speak with you two at lunch tomorrow." He turns to leave and I look at Lewis.

"I'll be right back." I kiss his cheek before rushing after J.

"J," I grab his wrist and he turns to look at me, his brows raise at my hand on his wrist and he looks at me, bewildered.

"Yes, Mrs. Dence?" He asks and I feel my heart shatter.

"J," I shake my head little. "I came to apologize."

"For what? You haven't done anything wrong." He furrows his brows.

"Joker, please stop this."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Mrs. Dence." He shakes his head.

"J, I'm serious, I'm sorry for what I did I just -"

"I think you should be getting back to your husband, Mrs. Dence. Good night." And with that, he leaves me standing alone in a crowd of people.

 ** _Anastasia_**

"We're going to lunch tomorrow with J." I tell Johnny.

"I heard." He nods gently. "You think the truths gonna come out?" He sips on his water and I rub my red lips together.

"A part of me hopes it does, another part of me doesn't. I love Harleen, and I understand that she's torn, but between Lewis and J, there shouldn't be any competition."

"Well, Lewis is a dick." Johnny raises his brows. "But J's a criminal. A really, really, bad man. He can make Lewis look like a walk in the park if he gets mad enough."

"He'd never get that angry with Harleen, though." I'm sure of it and Johnny gives me a look, telling me that he would get that mean with her with no hesitation.

"You don't think they should be together." I state and he sighs.

"Five years ago, I would've loved it. I would've encouraged it to the best of my ability. But a lot has changed the last five years. Harleen and J both have changed a lot the last five years, Ana. She ain't the same woman and he definitely ain't the same man. But they don't see that. They think it's exactly how it used to be. But it ain't. She's got a husband and he's got a temper. They're both used to gettin' what they want and they both want different things. You tell me if this is gonna end good for anybody." He looks at me and I nod slowly.

"She should've left Lewis at the alter. He wouldn't have had his accident and they'd be happy together."

"Well, she wanted what she wanted. They both made their beds and now they gotta lay in them."

"They won't be laying in anything. More like rolling around in the sheets." I smile a little. "They're completely too engulfed in each other to think straight. It's so disastrously romantic."

He grins a little, pressing a kiss to my knuckles.

"Can't imagine what it's like to be that lost in someone." He speaks sarcastically, pressing another kiss to my cheek. "I'm gonna go see if the Boss needs anything."

Just as he says that, there's a loud crash and people gasp loudly.

We walk to the back yard, standing in the large doorway and see Lewis give one good punch at another man. His hair out of place, his lip busted. When the man comes back up, Lewis hits him again, and again. His hand around the guys throat, his eyes wild. Johnny pushes past me to get to him.

"Hey," He says as he approaches him but J continues to beat the man. "Hey!" Johnny pulls him off of him and he fights back, trying to hit the man again.

"You bastard!" The guy shouts and Lewis elbows Johnny hard in the chest, making him let go.

Harleen approaches them next and before I can tell her to stop, not get in the middle of it, she grabs Lewis' arm and he instinctively hits her, thinking it was another man.

"Lewis!" I scream, rushing to her. He stops, seeing he hit her and he stops, crouching to help her up. She's holding her lip, tears threatening to spill over her lashes.

"Harleen, sweetie - "

"Don't fucking touch her, you brute!" I hit his hand away from her.

"Now, you listen here, you little brat," He hisses.

"Don't speak to her like that." Johnny intervenes.

"She shouldn't have talked to me like that!" Lewis argues.

"Well you shouldn't have hit your wife!" I raise my voice.

"Ana," Johnny says, trying to get me to be quiet.

I turn my attention back to Harley and she's crying.

"Harleen," I pull her hand away from her lip to see it and she shakes her head.

"I want J." She whispers to me so low that only I can hear, shaking as tears pour from her. "I want J. Just go get J, please, Ana."

* * *

 **It's Me Mario: My inspiration is deceased mostly now but it's okay, I'll manage:)**

 **Jargot: I FEEL THE SAME WAY! WE ARE IN A FUCKING DESERT AND WE THIRSTY ASF BUT THEY AINT NO MOTHERFUCKIN WATER AND ITS KILLING US.**

 **Guest: Same. I miss the excitement and news of more JxHQ things in S.S. it was like everyone even people who weren't in the fandom, wanted to know more about their characters and it was amazing. But it all kinda went away after August. Hopefully it's not over.**

 **Minib10: Thank you! And j and Harley will sit down and talk about their situation and put it all out on the table (next chapterish maybe?) but yes, right now Harley's kinda using J but she doesn't know she feels strongly about him until a little later and that will be the turning point of all of this**

 **ZileRacer: Thank you so much for reading all my stories, you have no idea how happy it makes me:)**

 **LovetheKlaroline: I hope you liked this chapter:)**

 **Guest: I didnt know that! Thanks so much for letting me know. That does help some;)**

 **CrystalFalls1987: I hope so because I miss him already. I think it'll be okay but we'll just have to see.**

 **RoyalFlushGang: I hope you liked this chapter:)**

 **cvioleta: Exactly. Jared's always spoken his mind about things, good or bad, and I'm worried that him exposing WB and David for screwing him over, will backfire. He's always been one to speak out against the system and I hope he hasn't just gotten himself out of role unintentionally if WB isn't as forgiving as David Ayer.**


	13. Chapter Xll

**A/N: CHILDREN IM BACK! IM SO SORRY IT'S TAKEN SO LONG FOR ME TO UPDATE BUT IVE BEEN WRITING THE NEXT UPDATE FOR VERBATIM AS WELL SO I CAN HIT YALL WITH A DOUBLE UPDATE:) IT WILL BE UP TONIGHT SO I HOPE YALL LIKE IT. I LOVE YALL AND THANK YOU FOR BEING SO PATIENT AND LOVING AND INCREDIBLE AND LEMME KNOW WHAT YALL THINK!**

* * *

 ** _Chapter Xll_**

"Here," J dots the bruise on my face with a warm wash cloth and I wince sharply. "I oughtta beat the ever living piss out of him for doing this to you." He grumbles and I smile a little.

"It was unintentional, J." I say quietly and he shakes his head.

"This time, maybe." he replies and I stiffen a little bit. "The swelling's gonna go down in a little bit, but the bruise is still gonna hang around for a few days." He tells me.

"Since when are you a doctor?" I raise a brow and he licks his lips.

"Since I've had my fair share of fights the last five years." He chuckles.

"Because you love to get a rise outta people."

"Because my entire existence is based on getting a rise outta people." He corrects me and I smile wider, leaning forward to press my lips against his.

We hear the door of his bed room opening and we shoot apart as Ana and Johnny walk in.

"Harleen, Lewis wishes to see you." Anastasia tells me and I shake my head.

"I don't want to see him." I tell her gravely.

"He said he's sorry." She adds and I look at J.

I don't know why I do this. I'm a grown woman, perfectly capable of making my own choices. I have been making my own choices. But I feel the need, in this moment, to silently ask permission to go see my husband. J acknowledges this, and nods reassuringly.

I stand, taking Ana's hand as I walk to the door.

I step down the stairs and to the kitchen.

Everyone has died down now, most of them gone. What's left are drunks in need of a ride home and desperate women lingering in hopes of falling into the host's bed.

But he won't let them. No. He stays hidden in his room, not even bothering to make a nod to their existence because the only woman he's ever had eyes for, is currently in the process of trying to speak to her spouse.

I approach Lewis in the kitchen as one of J's workers gets him a drink as helps him with this own wounds. His knuckles are busted and bloodied and his lip is split. His face lights up when he sees me and he grins, grimacing in pain from his lip, but doesn't let it falter as I approach him.

"Darling," He smiles sweetly, grasping my hand and pulling me closer to him. "I'm so, so, sorry, Sweetheart. I never meant for you to get in the middle of it." He brushes his fingers against my bruise.

"What was all of that even over, Lewis?" I ask him. "Did he step on your new shoes or accidentally bump into you?"

"He mentioned something absolutely absurd about my wife and I put an end to it." He furrows his brows defensively.

"What about me did he mention that could have possibly been that bad?" I hiss.

"He said you and this rich bastard are having an affair." He laughs wildly and I tense up.

"W-What? That's crazy!" I bark and he nods.

"That's what I said. But he was so damned sure about it, I finally just had to shut him up. I'm sorry I hit you, Harley, I truly am. I know we've had our fights before but I promised you the last time that I'd never intentionally hit you again and I meant it. This time was an honest mistake. Please, forgive me?" he brushes the stray hairs from my face and I nod gently.

He pulls me even closer and kisses me. He pulls away when someone clears their throat and we look to see Johnny in the door way.

"Anastasia, can I speak with you?" He asks my cousin and she nods, glancing at me before stepping out of the room.

"So," Lewis steps away from the counter. "You wanna head home so I can start helping you forget about that bruise?" His innuendo makes me sick to my stomach almost. Not the thought of sex with him, but the thought of sex with anyone but J at the moment. I still felt bombarded with guilt from when I purposely kissed Lewis in front of him. I couldn't just go home with my husband as if I didn't want to stay here tonight.

I think for a moment before speaking next.

"I have to use the restroom." I kiss his cheek. "I'll be out shortly, just go wait in the car and I'll be out." I tell him as I walk up the stairs.

I hear the front door open and close, telling me he went outside and I start sprinting down the hall to J's bedroom.

I go in with no hesitation and look to see it's empty. I hear the water running in the bathroom and step closer to the closed door. He's getting a bath.

Pushing the door open, I walk in and start pacing immeidately. He's unbothered by my presence, looking at me from the large bathtub.

He waits for me to calm down my pacing before he speaks to me.

"Harleen, why aren't you headed home?"

It's a simple question that I should be able to answer with no problem. But I can't.

"I can't go home." I tell him. "Lewis is downstairs, waiting in the car and he's my husband. And I need to go home with him but I can't." My voice shakes and he sighs. "The man that he fought told him that you and I were having an affair and he didn't believe him. He thought the bastard was telling lies so he beat the hell out of him, J." I inform him.

"What do you want me to do about it, Harleen? People are going to talk. That's how it's always been. If you don't want your husband to find out from someone else, then tell him yourself."

"That's not the point, J." I shake my head.

"Then what is the point, Harley. Huh?" He asks harshly.

"I'm married! We're sleeping together and having this extravagant, complex relationship, but I'm married!"

"So, what?! You wanna stop seein' each other, is that what you're telling me?!" He shouts and I feel a lump form in my throat. "I'm not kissing your ass anymore, Harleen. If you don't want to keep doing this, then get the fuck out. I'm not making you stay here and cheat on your husband." He growls out and I feel tears prick my eyes.

"J," I croak out. "I love you, and I love my husband, but this is just getting out of hand. I can't lose my husband." I shake my head gently.

"But you sure as hell can lose the new money, gangster, criminal you've been putting on the back burner the last five years, right?" He shoots at me and I feel the breath leave my lungs.

"J-"

"Just leave." He snaps and tears spill down my cheeks as I listen to him and head to the door. I jump at the sound of his throwing things at the wall once I'm out of the bath room.

 ** _Anastasia_**

I go to leave, following Harleen and I feel someone snatch me back into the house. I turn to see Johnny and a small smile comes to my face.

"You're just gonna leave without tellin' me bye?" He furrows his brows playfully and I grin, pressing my lips to his. "Boss is upstairs throwing a hissy fit." He adds and I glance at the car Harley's in, seeing her and Lewis talking quietly as they glance at us.

"He's probably telling her I can do much better than a mob hustling scoundrel like you." I raise a brow and he scoffs a little.

"Doesn't bother me, cause it's true." He replies and I give him a "you can't be serious" look.

"Don't say stuff like that." I say seriously and he grinds his teeth nervously.

"Didn't mean to upset you, Ana. But if that's how he feels about us, I can't argue with him. I mean, you can do a lot better." He laughs it off, not knowing exactly how else to go about it.

"Johnny, if I wanted someone else, I'd be with someone else." I snap and he raises his brows.

"I know you would. But you can't blame him for thinking—"

"Yes, I can blame him when he spends his weekends yanking the panty hose off women much, much worse and farther down than you. And even with who you are and what you do for a living, you're still half the man Lewis Dence with ever be. So he can shove it where the sun doesn't shine." I hiss and he grins.

"Calm down. I don't wanna have to go get you outta the slammer tonight for tryin' to choke him or anything." He tells me and I smile some.

"I'm sorry. You're not below him. You're beyond better than he is, okay?" I fix his dark hair and he leans down to kiss me. "Yes, Ma'am." He kisses my cheek next and walks me to the car, opening my door to let me in. As I'm climbing in, he playfully taps me on the bottom and I give him a death glare, to which he laughs and shuts the door.

Harleen and Lewis are staring at me with opposite expressions. Harleen's obviously happy that I'm happy. Lewis just looks disgusted.

" _He_ was a much better man. A lot better than that heathen you're running around with." He says "he" referring to my late husband, and I tighten my jaw.

"Maybe so," I start, looking at him. "But he doesn't spend his free time in brothels while he pretends to go golfing." I shoot at him and he laughs bitterly.

"No, he just tortures and kills and plays 'bitch on a leash' for his boss."

"Enough!" Harleen shouts. "I will walk home if you two don't settle down. Ana, stop. And Lewis," she looks at him. "Hypocrisy is beyond unattractive on you." She grits out and he rolls his jaw.

We give each other a death glare before turning away from each other. I face the window, pouting.

When we get to the house, Lewis swings the door of the car open and leaves me and Harleen in the dust as he storms into the house.

"He's angry." She mumbles.

"Obviously." I huff.

"Not Lewis," she corrects me and I look at her gently. "I think whatever spark was igniting me and J, is slowly burning out." She adds and I turn to face her, fixing her messy, curled hair.

"Harley," I shake my head. "It had to end sometime," I tell her and she stares off.

"I was just hoping it'd end with Lewis 6 foot under and me in J's arms." She arches her brows before stepping out of the car.

I sit alone in the car, completely startled and utterly terrified at the power of Harleen's words. Said so subtle, yet the aftermath was a hurricane. Who was this woman? The prim and proper sophistication of my older cousin had been stripped away and replaced with a sinister abundance. I blame The Joker for her sudden outburst. Even when he's across town, Harleen mimics his attitude and tendencies. Guess that's what happens when you spend almost every night in the bed of someone that wicked; you pick up their barbaric ways. And Harleen Quinzel admitting to wanting her husband—who she use to worship—dead, was certainly not by her own thinking. The Clown Prince of Crime was infecting her mind and there was absolutely nothing I could do but sit back and wait for the train reck that was bound to come out of it all.

I get out and walk into the house, seeing Harleen and Lewis walking up the stairs.

I huff out a breath and stomp up the stairs as well.

When I get to my room, I grab the telephone on my bed side table and call Johnny.

"Hello?"

"Tell me why I enter my own house and feel the dread of death and depression?" I complain and he sighs gently. "Harleen wants Lewis dead, she just revealed it to me and I don't know what I think of it simply because it's not like my cousin to just say things like that."

"J's influencing her, baby, you know that."

"Well, I don't like it." I retort sharply.. "Of course none of it is my business but still. I'm worried. I just want all of this to end. I don't care how, I just want it to end."

"Yeah, so does Boss. He's talkin' about invitin' them to lunch." He replies and I take a breath.

"Maybe he should. And if he and Harleen choose to come clean, then so be it."

"I'm not sure him and Harleen are on the best of terms." He chuckles and I roll my eyes.

"Well tell him it's time to kiss and make up because I—" I hear loud moans emit from Harleen's and Lewis' bedroom and I frown. "—Lewis and Harleen are currently having sex and it's ridiculous sounding."

"Bet it don't feel that great to her, either." He comments and I laugh, putting my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing too loud. "Darling, that's not funny." I tell him while I smile like a mad woman. "Want me to come over so we can give them a run for their money?" There's a playful tone in his voice and I fall back on the bed.

"I'm not inviting you over with the sole intention of one-upping my cousin and her husbands love making." I cringe at the term and it's his turn to laugh.

"Then don't," he defends himself. "Just invite me over so I can wear you out like I did in the back of Lewis' Rolls-Royce that one time you managed to sneak out and snag the keys." My mouth falls open in shock at his words and I can't help but grin widely.

"Johnny Frost!" I scold him and I can tell he's smirking. "You need to learn to be a gentleman."

"Shit, I was until you practically attacked me on our third date." He shoots back and I scoff.

"Oh, please, you got me liquored up and I couldn't control myself when I was drunk."

"You got drunk after you—" I pull the phone away from my ear to keep from hearing him because I know he's right. "—me in the car on the way over to the club. And then got me in the bathroom at the club and we took off running from there."

"Oh, hush." I blush a little, rubbing my forehead. "I'm sorry you're just so handsome." I know his ego is getting a good rub.

"Sorry I make it so hard to resist." He says teasingly and I giggle. "Hey, sorry to cut this short, Sweetheart, but I gotta go."

"Alright, I'll talk to you later." I yawn tiredly and he's silent for a moment.

"I love you, Anastasia." He tells me sincerely and I smile, trying not to scream with glee.

"I love you, too, Johnny." I return. I can tell he's smiling and he takes a another breath and says, "goodnight" before hanging up.

I put the phone back on the hook and squeal, jumping on the bed, utter joy taking over me.

"I'm a widow, but I still got it." I say aloud, my whole body giddy and joyful.

 ** _Harleen_**

I sigh, my knuckles coming up to knock on J's front door nervously.

It's 2:30 in the morning, and here I am. I couldn't sleep with him upset with me, so I came to make up.

It took forever trying to sneak away from Lewis, but I finally managed to do so and had William, one of our drivers, bring me. He doesn't like Lewis, so he'd never tell him anything about this.

I finally just ring the door bell and await Johnny to open the door.

When he does, he's dressed in his sleep clothes and I smile a small smile.

"Harleen, what the hell you doin'?" He asks me and I rub my lips together.

"I can't sleep. I need to speak with him." I tell him and he sighs.

"I'll go see if he's awake." He steps aside and let's me in and then pads up the stairs.

Shortly, J emerges from the hall at the top of the stair case and looks at me before nodding his head over his shoulder, quietly telling me to follow him.

I do so, and when we're behind his closer bed room door, he crosses his arms and exhales tiredly.

"I'm sorry for waking you but I couldn't sleep with you angry at me." I confess to him.

"Harleen," he starts. "I'm not angry at you. I'm aggravated. If you love me so much, why not break things off with Lewis so we can finally be together? I want to go to lunch with you, Ana, Lewis and Johnny. I want to know more about him."

"Why does it matter to you?" I furrow my brows.

"Harley," he steps to me, cupping my cheek. "Baby—"

"I love you," I tell him. "And I—" I get quiet, these next words hanging in my throat. "—I'm willing to do anything for you." He looks a little confused. "Including leave my husband..."

"Seriously?" He smiles widely and I nod.

He kisses me feverishly, walking us back to his bed and pushing me onto it.


	14. Chapter Xlll

**Chapter Xlll**

 ** _Harleen_**

I examine myself in the mirror, smoothing my dress down. It's decently simple with a skirt stopping just above my ankles, white diamonds and pearls starting at the sheer top of it and fading out down to the hem. It's not heavy or too hot, spaghetti strapped and with an open back.

"I don't see why I have to go eat lunch with the man." Lewis complains as I put my pearl earrings in.

"Because I want you to." I say.

"Remind me why you want me do to this again?"

"Please, Lewis, you've already been to his parties. Why can't you just put your pride aside for one day and go to lunch with the man? Must there be a reason to?"

"Harleen, I don't think you're hearing me correctly." He raises his brows. "I don't like him. There's no reason for me to go pretend to like him. So why am I?"

"You don't want to be able to tell the world you got to eat lunch with the most notorious criminal of the entire century, and lived to tell about it?" I turn to face him.

"Baby—"

"—You're going. We all are." I pat his cheek gently, pecking his lips before heading out of our bedroom. "Ana, are you almost ready?" I call from the kitchen.

She soon comes down, in a dress I don't recognize.

"Where'd you get that?" I ask her, looking at it.

It's a sky blue, loose fitting and light fabric that came just above her knees. the neckline plunging deeply, revealing some of her cleavage, but not enough to be considered "too much".

"Johnny." She replies and I smile widely.

"And what did you to for him to get you a thing like that?" Lewis interrupts suddenly and she scowls at him.

"Absolutely nothing. He just favors me that much." She turns her chin up at him.

"He favors the favors you do for him." Lewis shoots back.

"What are you implying, Lewis?" Harleen snaps.

"I think you know damn well what I'm implying, Harleen." He buttons the cuffs on his shirt and before she can say anything else, he walks out the door. "Let's go."

"Ana," Harleen starts and Anastasia looks at her, irritated. "I'm sorry."

"Let's just go to lunch." She smiles fairly follows Lewis to the car.

When I get out the door, I furrow my brows. J's car is parked by Lewis' and the two are exchanging a few words. I step to them quickly, eyeing the green haired man who is dressed to impress.

"What're you doing here?" I ask him casually and Lewis butts in.

"He's here to be the utter definition of flamboyance. What with his fancy car and . . . Purple suit." His tone was that of one who was joking, but we all knew he was being serious and just trying to disguise it.

"It's actually Lilac." J keeps his gentleman-like smile.

It was a beautiful suit. It looked to be of silk or some expensive fabric: only the best for The Joker, of course. He wore a button down under the blazer of the suit, the first 5 buttons were undone, exposing his smooth, porcelain chest. A couple of his tattoos peeked from the collar of the shirt and I had to keep from staring at him.

"It's not a very masculine color." Lewis laughs meanly and Joker glances at me, completely ignoring my husband's remark.

"I think it's a lovely color." I feel my own smile pull at my lips.

J winks at me as Lewis turns to see where my cousin went.

"Katherine's coming, is she not?" Lewis asks me and I raise a brow.

"Last I checked she was—"

"—The party can now start because I have arrived." Katherine's sultry voice was practically music to anyone's ears.

We all looked to see her emerging from the house, a fur wrap draping over her shoulders as she stepped carefully to us.

She was in a soft red dress that stopped at her knees and hung loose enough where it didn't suffocate her but wasn't baggy either.

She looked between me and J pointedly before looking at Lewis, who was bickering with Ana, again.

"They've been fighting like cats and dogs." Katherine told Joker as his own eyes averted to the them as well.

"He doesn't need to speak to her like that." J stated.

"Why do you say that?" Katherine asked, a little shocked that he cared.

He smirked.

"If Johnny hears of it he'll kill him." Is all he says. "Speaking of Johnny, he's reserved a whole floor for us a The Royal."

"Lewis!" Harleen shouts over his yelling at Ana. He stops and looks at her. "Can you two drop it and come on? Johnny's waiting at the plaza."

At the mention of Mr. Frost, Ana forgets the dispute between her and Lewis, and practically skips to us.

"J, mind if a I take your car for a spin? I'm thinking of trading mine in for something a bit more powerful." Lewis nodded to J's white and what appeared to be gold detailing, Rolls-Royce.

"You have the same car." I looked at him, confused and Lewis raised a brow at me.

"J's is prettier." Katherine unapologetically spilled, opening a compact mirror to fix her lipstick. "I for one wouldn't mind being seen in it." She added.

J narrowed his eyes at Lewis and then studied him a split second.

"Sure," he tossed him the keys from his pocket. "Don't scratch 'er up."

"Harleen, you coming?" Lewis asked as he proudly walked to the shining car.

"How about a race?" I suggest playfully and my husband gives me a "no" look. "Oh, c'mon, Lewis. You never wanna have any fun anymore. Let's have some fun." I keep my voice a light whine and he breaths heavily.

"Yeah, Lewis," J looks at him almost darkly. "Let's have some god damn fun." His tone was sadistic, as if he was thinking of something far more violent than a race.

Lewis only takes his tone as challenging and gives in.

"Last one there pays for lunch." He finally says and I squeal happily, rushing to Lewis' light grey car.

I could feel my husband staring at me as I climbed in next to Joker, he was eyeing us suspiciously, it seemed.

I felt guilt creep up my neck, and before J could crank the car, I hopped out and stepped to Lewis.

"What're you doin'?" He asked as he looked up at me once I got to him. I leaned down and kissed him.

He smirked, probably loving the fact that I interrupted us leaving just to kiss him bye.

And I paid for it heavily when I get back in the car with J.

Lewis speeds off and J follows him, speeding.

"Was that necessary?" J looks at me and I pull a cigarette from my clutch.

"He was looking at us." I explain, grabbing my lighter.

"You shoved your tongue down his throat because he looked at us? Dear God, I'd hate to know what you would've done if he spoke to us."

"You know what I mean, Joker." I scoff.

He ignores me, his eyes growing darker as he slams on the gas and passes Lewis. I wave, standing on my knees in the seat, laughing as we went by.

"Joker." I sit back down and blow the smoke from my lungs and he raises his brows at me.

"Stuff's gonna kill ya." He tells me and I stick my tongue out at him.

My attention's caught by the white streak that passes us, and we see Lewis, Katherine and Ana in front of us.

J growls, switching gears and accelerating.

Eventually we're right beside them, both vehicles surpassing the speed limit.

"J, the police." I remind him and he waves me off.

"Got all of them under my belt on this part of town." He assures me.

Lewis isn't so fortunate, though, and he's pulled over.

We roar by him, catching the officer's attention for a moment. But when he sees J, he ignores it.

Joker laughs loudly at this and soon enough we arrive at the plaza.

"What a ride." He sighs, tossing his keys to the valet. He walks around and opens my door, grabbing my hand to help me out.

"So chivalrous." I sigh and he presses a kiss to my knuckles.

I grab his arm gently and he leads me in.

We get to the top floor and we're met by Johnny at the entrance of an elaborate suite.

"Anastasia's on her way. They got caught up." I tell him, patting his shoulder.

He nods before turning to J.

"Boss, food's gonna be a while, they had to make everything fresh for their favorite guest." He grabs the bottle of champagne on ice and hands me a flute.

"I don't want any," I shake my head and he furrowed his brows.

"I thought you liked champagne?" He cocked his head and Joker darts his eyes between me and Johnny.

"I don't feel like drinking right now." I shake my head.

"Well I do." Lewis pipes as he comes in, practically fuming.

He snatches the bottle of champagne from Johnny and pops the cork off, drinking straight from the bottle.

He grimaces, his face twisting in repulsion.

"It tastes cheap." He spits when he manages to swallow his mouthful. "It's not very strong."

"Well it's not moonshine, Lewis." I bite back. "If you don't like it, don't drink it."

He looks around and narrows his eyes at me.

"Since when are you suddenly so outspoken?" He slams the bottle down on an end table next to a couch in the room.

"I've always been outspoken." I argue, my tone quieting down some.

"No, you haven't." He shakes his head.

"I just want to do something nice and fun. This is supposed to be a time to relax and be at peace and socialize, Dear. I don't mean to be so crude."

He exhales, pursing his lips.

"You're right. We did come to socialize." He then turns to J and raises his brows. "Mr. Joker," J's busy pouring a drink, a tight, odd smile on his face as he looks at Lewis.

"Mr. Dence," He says in the same way.

"You're a very wealthy man. How'd it all happen?" Lewis crosses his arms.

My face falls and I sit next to Anastasia on the couch as J glances at me before answering.

"I got my start as a comedian." He lies, I know he's lying. I shouldn't be giggling, but I am. It just happens to be so quiet that Lewis doesn't notice it. But J does, and he gives me a reassuring wink before continuing.

"And how did being a comedian lead to you being the most wanted man in the country?" Lewis asked next, incredibly skeptical.

I stopped smiling, my worries slowly coming to the surface.

"I wouldn't say I'm the most wanted man in the country." J's cool under the pressure. He'd always been that way. "Maybe the State."

"Oh, you're _humble_." Lewis' words are venomous sarcasm and I feel my face shift with confusion.

"What can I say, humble beginnings." J downed his whiskey with his classic smile beaming.

"Not a humble empire, though." Lewis paces.

"Lewis," I scold and he ignores me completely.

"Lots of intimidation and threats, right? It's a 'do as I say or suffer the consequences' type world you run, isn't it?"

"My empire consists of nothing but entrepreneurship."

"Oh, entrepreneurship? Is that what they're calling it these days?" Lewis pours his own drink and I feel my nerves tense up even more.

"I wouldn't talk about something you know nothing about, Mr. Dence, including my business and what I do."

"I assure you, Mr. J, I know everything there is to know about you and your business . . . But does she?" He motions to me and I furrow my brows, anger boiling in me. "Does she know exactly what it is that makes you an Entrepreneur? Exactly what business started in this city?"

"Lewis." I hiss.

"Your bootlegged alcohol, your Speakeasies, your whores?"

"My dancers aren't whores." J chuckles.

"Then why do you turn them out?"

Lewis' words make me look at J, who's now on the brink of his own outburst.

"Like I said, you don't know me, or my business." He keeps himself together and I meet eyes with Anastasia a moment. "Just expose me to your wife and all your jealousy for my money and my life will go away, right?"

This does it for Lewis.

"Mr. Joker, exactly what kind of a contretemps are you trying to stir up in my marriage?"

"He's not causing any contretemps, you are!" My voice shakes with unsettled nerves and Lewis looks at me angrily. "Have a little respect."

"Respect?" He gawks at me. "Is that what's happening nowadays? Another man comes in, screws your wife and you're still obligated to respect him? Because if that's the case, then I want nothing more to do with it!"

I couldn't breathe. My heart stopped. Everyone's eyes locked on me. I did the one thing I knew to do.

Lit a cigarette to keep from strangling my husband.

"It's not very hard doing so being that she doesn't care for you." J quips back and I grab Ana's hand, my eyes squeezing shut as tears roll down my cheeks.

Lewis looks at him is disbelief, then looks at me.

"Harleen?" He asks sternly.

"Let's go home." Ana interrupts, standing.

"Sit down!" Lewis barks at her and Johnny stares at him with the fire of hell in his gaze.

Ana listens, glaring at Lewis as she slowly sits back down, tears in her own eyes.

"Harleen." Lewis repeats bitterly.

I look between the two men, my mouth opened but not able to form words. After a few moments, I give up and put my face in my hands, trying to think of what the hell I've done.

"Harley," J steps to me, crouching to my level. His hands gently move mine away from my face and he holds my chin in his fingers as he wipes my tears with his thumb.

I take a deep breath and rub my lips together.

 _Just look at him. Just keep your eye's on J and you can do this_ , I think to myself.

 ** _Anastasia_**

I feel the strong need for a drink as Harleen looks at Joker as if she's hypnotized by him.

Again, Lewis demands she tell him if she really loves him or not.

"Harleen!" It comes as a demonic shout and she exhales deeply, remaining calm under the gaze of her lover.

"Lewis, I'm leaving you." She says it.

"Oh, boy." Katherine mumbles.

"What?" Lewis asks quietly. "You're what?"

"I'm leaving you!" She looks at him now.

"Harleen, Darling, think about what you're saying." He steps to her slowly. "Think about who you're saying it, because of." He motions to Joker and she laughs with humor, stomping to the window to open it and gain some fresh air.

"I'm saying it because I'm tired of having to pretend to be in love with you when you repulse me, Lewis." She manages to continue.

"I repulse you? Since when?!"

She doesn't answer, she can't. I see her struggling for her words again and this time, Joker stays where he's at.

"I–I know I stray off at times, I go out and do things that I shouldn't do, but I always end up back home with you. You're my wife, Harleen, I can't stay away from you for long because I miss you too much. I do love you." Even in this moment, even after she knows how despicable he is, Harleen still looks as though she believes him.

He's in front of her in a second, cupping her face, wiping her tears, soothing her. And she lets him.

I look at Joker who slowly gets up from where he's at.

"Harleen, tell him." He says and she furrows her brows. "Tell him about the past five years."

Lewis pulls away from her before seething, "you've been seeing him for five years?"

"Not physically," she shakes her head. "Emotionally." As if that makes it any better to Lewis.

"Emotionally?" He looks confused. "What does that even mean?"

"It means every time you've made love to her she's thought of me doing it instead." Joker states and me and Katherine lock eyes, both of us sharing the same expression of "he just said that".

Harleen squeezed her eyes closed, trying to block all of this out, probably.

Johnny suddenly comes to me, grabbing my hand to pull me up.

"What?" I ask him quietly and he grabs Katherine, too.

"I think it's time we get outta here." He says calmly, in a hushed tone.

"Why?" I ask next and he looks at Lewis, Joker and Harleen.

"I gotta feelin' this is gonna get pretty ugly."

"It's already hideous." Katherine remarks.

"I mean crime scene ugly." He's serious as a heart attack when he says this and I feel a lump form in my throat.

"Johnny—"

"—So you're saying you never loved me?" Lewis catches my attention and I look at them again. "Ever?"

Harleen looks at him, her fingers shaking where she's still holding her cigarette.

"Not in New Orleans on our honeymoon?" He keeps pressing and she takes deep breaths. "When I jumped into the bay to get your Tiffany Bracelet when it fell into the water that time in the Hamptons? Not even then?"

Harleen was struggling. We all knew she was. She was trying to convince herself of something she knew wasn't true. She loved Lewis. She cared for Lewis.

"J, I can't do it." She shakes her head and he looks at her, angry and fed up. "He's my husband. I do love him, but I love you, too. I've always loved you, but please don't make me do this." She begs him and he looks at her husband, evilly.

"I told you." Lewis laughs in J's face. "We're all different from you, Mr. Joker." He walks around again. "I am, they are," he points to me and Katherine. "She is." He nods to Harleen. "This is in our blood." He refers to our wealth. "All that's in your blood, is nothing but utter looniness. Insanity. Craziness. Lunacy. Do I need to continue or do you get the point?"

"You're right." J admits. "You are different from me." Now it's him who walks around. "I work for my money. All you do is fornicate with other women and gamble your inheritance away, while your wife here, breaks her neck trying to keep up with your extravagant spending habits." He motions to Harleen.

Lewis snaps his head around and scowls at her.

"You told him?" His face gets red with anger.

"Lewis, just please calm down. You're overreacting."

"How the hell is this overreacting?!"

"I don't cause this big of a scene when I find out about your little sprees!" She shouts.

"Because my sprees aren't with criminals, Harleen!" He yells back. "This man, this-this devil, is a murderer. He's a murdering, thieving, criminally insane, monster!"

"You didn't mind that fact when you were indulging in his liquor and women at his parties, did you, Lewis?" Katherine hisses and he grinds his teeth.

"Shut up and stay out of this, Katherine!" He screams. This is it. His breaking point. "When did this start, Harleen. I want the truth. And how many times?"

Joker and Harleen exchanged looks, and she lights another cigarette.

"Weeks." She sighs out.

"Weeks? How many weeks?" He grits through his teeth.

"I lost track." She cries. "Does it matter anymore? It's all out on the table now. All there is to know is it happened."

"How many times did this happen?" He doesn't let it go.

Harley's trying to remember exactly how many times, but she can't.

"A lot." She finally gives up.

"A lot?" He questions, walking to her. "A lot?!" He raises his hand to hit her, but he stops when he hears J pull the hammer back on his pistol and we all freeze where we are, Harleen puts her hands over her mouth, the smoke from her cigarette curling around her eye lashes.

"Alright, time to go." Johnny pulls me and Katherine from the room.

 **So I was finishing up this update when I heard about Chester Bennington's death and I am currently writing this in tears.**

 **So my dad has worked out of state my whole life, he'd come back when a job was done and then a couple weeks later start another one. That's just his line of work and what it requires. So I don't have a whole lot of memories with my dad that I do with my mom. But a majority of my memories with him, consist of listening to rock music in his car, since I could remember. I grew up on rock music, and I'll never forget anytime a Linkin Park song came on, me and my dad would just completely lose our shit and go in. And when the transformers movies came out and they played Linkin Park my dad would go hard at it in the theater, wouldn't give a fuck about who heard him.**

 **This is so corny sounding, but Linkin Park gave me one hell of a childhood. And even though the memories are scarce, they made any time I spent with my dad some of the most memorable.**

 **I hate that we won't get to hear Chester's voice in any new music, but we'll always have what's already been given to us.**

 **On another note, for those who don't know how he died, he hanged himself. Which makes it all the more heartbreaking and devastating. I've dealt personally with suicide in my life, twice. And suffering with depression and feeling hopeless before, is the most horrible feeling there is to have. One of my problems was that I was quiet about it for a long time. I didn't want people to think I was seeking attention, I didn't want anyone to think I was weak or overreacting to anything. I hate that this has happened to someone I've always admired and loved, but this is another person to be looked at and realize that there is no one that is perfect. If you are having suicidal thoughts or just need anyone to talk to, MAMA DONNA HAS GOT YOU. I rarely ever sleep so you could hit me up at 4:30 and I'm still gone reply.**

 **Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go play Numb/Encore while I sob uncontrollably and attempt to talk to my dad on the phone. I love y'all. Thank you for everything.**


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